Zion Suzuki making Aston Villa impact after Paris Saint-Germain move collapsed

Zion Suzuki is beginning to establish himself as Aston Villa’s first-choice goalkeeper after being given a regular run since joining the club in the summer transfer window.

The Japan international had been close to moving to Paris Saint-Germain, where Luis Enrique had been impressed by him. The French club considered signing Suzuki either to compete with Matvey Safonov for the starting position or to spend a season on loan.

However, the transfer fell through after Paris Saint-Germain judged the final financial demands from Suzuki’s representatives to be too high. Money was not the only obstacle, with the goalkeeper also seeking a club that could guarantee him regular first-team football something Paris Saint-Germain could not offer.

That priority had also led Suzuki to reject Manchester United’s proposal three years ago, when the English club wanted him to provide cover for Andre Onana.

“My priority was to play, and that is why I made this decision,” Suzuki said. “I played one year in Belgium and two years at Parma. I developed. It was very important for me to play for two years in Serie A. Now I trust myself and believe in my abilities.”

Suzuki joined Aston Villa for 30m euros, with a further 5m euros available in performance-related bonuses. He arrived to begin a new challenge under Unai Emery, with expectations heightened by Emiliano Martinez’s departure for Chelsea.

After initially remaining on the bench against Brighton following his arrival, Suzuki has since played in four Premier League matches against Arsenal, Hull City, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham. He has also featured against Club Brugge in the Champions League and Coventry in the FA Cup.

He has played 495 minutes across those fixtures, excluding 45 minutes against Coventry, conceding seven goals and keeping one clean sheet.

His early impression has extended beyond his statistics. Suzuki has attracted praise for his shot-stopping, composure in possession and contribution to building attacks from the back qualities that influenced Aston Villa’s decision to sign him.

The Birmingham Mail gave him a rating of 8 out of 10 for his start at the club, highlighting his display against Tottenham and his ability to make saves and pass accurately under pressure.

BBC also drew attention to his performance against Tottenham, when he stopped two efforts from Savinho within a matter of seconds. His ability to send the ball forward was also praised, a feature that forms an important part of Emery’s approach.

Villa supporters have begun chanting Suzuki’s name at Villa Park, suggesting the goalkeeper is already starting to build a connection with the club’s fans following Martinez’s departure.

Emery has backed Suzuki to meet the demands of the role.

“We needed a goalkeeper,” Emery said. “He is a goalkeeper who has to save us, and he must be responsible in goal and have the qualities and skills needed to build attacks.”

He added: “His style of play is very important. He sometimes takes risks, but that is how he develops and learns. When building attacks, he can choose to play long because he has an excellent ability to play through balls, and he did that for the second goal we scored.”

After missing out on Paris Saint-Germain, Suzuki appears to have found at Aston Villa the regular football he was seeking and an opportunity to prove himself in the Premier League under Emery.