Deal close: Manchester United in shock move to sign exciting new player with excellent passing ability – Erik Ten Hag set to make Him as top priority
Manchester United are reportedly close to signing goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Urawa Red Diamonds.
What’s the latest Man United transfer news?
The Red Devils and Erik ten Hag are making preparations ahead of the new season, with Mason Mount confirmed as the first signing of the summer. The midfielder has arrived from Premier League rivals Chelsea at a cost of £60m, penning a five-year deal in Manchester.
It looks as if Mount could be the first of many through the door at Old Trafford, with a new goalkeeper on the agenda after David de Gea’s contract expired at the end of June.
Inter Milan’s Andre Onana has been heavily linked with a move to reunite with Ten Hag following their time at Ajax. The Cameroon international is keen to make the move to Manchester if a fee can be agreed on, with personal terms already sorted between player and the Red Devils.
Man United have had an opening bid worth €40m plus €5m add-ons rejected by Inter Milan, but it looks as if they are having more success when it comes to a move for Suzuki.
The Metro relayed an update from Sponichi regarding Man United and Suzuki, claiming a shock move to England is close to completion after a formal £5m offer was made.
It is believed that the Red Devils have been scouting the goalkeeper since 2017, and should a £5m transfer go through, it would represent a record J League departure, surpassing the £4.5m Celtic spent on Kyogo Furuhashi. Talks are reportedly progressing smoothly, and a deal is thought to be imminent.
Who is Zion Suzuki?
Suzuki is 20 years of age and was actually born in the United States of America. He has been on the books with Urawa Red Diamonds for a number of years, though, and has made 28 senior appearances for his current employers.
The ‘keeper has turned out at youth level for Japan and can even represent Ghana, should he wish, and Suzuki will be out of contract with Urawa Red Diamonds early next year.
In the media, Suzuki is ‘widely considered as one of the most exciting goalkeeping prospects coming out of Japan’. His ‘distribution is exceptional, he makes passes which would be talked about for weeks if it were Ederson’. Therefore, he could be an ideal addition at Old Trafford alongside someone like Onana, viewed as a potential star in years to come.
If De Gea finds a new club and Dean Henderson joins Nottingham Forest as has been speculated, United would be left with just Tom Heaton as their only senior option. That shows how more than one goalkeeper could be of use to Ten Hag ahead of his second season in charge, especially with the Red Devils back in the Champions League.
Who knows, Onana could arrive as first choice with Suzuki playing second fiddle in domestic cup competitions, looking to develop his game at Carrington ahead of a long-term future at Old Trafford, and by the looks of things, the Urawa Red Diamonds shot-stopper could soon be on the move.
