By Zach Lowy
Gianluigi Buffon returned to his boyhood membership after 20 years away, making 26 appearances all through the 2021/22 marketing campaign and turning into the primary goalkeeper within the historical past of males’s soccer to maintain 500 clear sheets, earlier than following that up with 19 appearances in 2022/23 as Parma fell to Cagliari within the Serie B promotion play-off finals.
Buffon hung up his boots on the age of 45 in August 2023, with Parma turning to Argentine veteran Leandro Chichizola. Chichzola did sufficient to guide Parma again to the top-flight after a three-year drought, however not sufficient to persuade supervisor Fabio Pecchia that he ought to be the starter in Serie A. As a substitute, Parma signed Zion Suzuki for €7.5 million plus €2.5 million in bonuses from Belgian membership Sint-Truiden, who acquired a ten% sell-on clause. It hasn’t taken lengthy for Suzuki to make a reputation for himself as one of many high shot-stoppers in Serie A, and there’s motive to consider that he can comply with in Buffon’s footsteps by rising as among the finest goalkeepers of his technology.
Born in Newark, New Jersey to a Ghanaian father and a Japanese mom, Suzuki left the US at an early age and moved to Japan. He turned the youngest participant in Urawa Pink Diamonds’ historical past to signal an expert contract at 16 years and 5 months outdated in January 2019, ready one other two years earlier than preserving a clear sheet on his skilled debut within the J. League Cup in addition to a clear sheet in every of his first three J.League matches. While he by no means fairly managed to cement a beginning spot throughout his 14-year spell at Urawa, Suzuki made 29 first-team appearances earlier than finally becoming a member of Sint-Truiden in 2023, the place he rapidly turned the No. 1. After only one yr in Belgium, Suzuki was on the transfer as soon as once more, becoming a member of Parma on a five-year contract and turning into their first Japanese participant since Hidetoshi Nakata again in 2001. Suzuki raised eyebrows early on by talking Italian in his first press convention, showcasing a confidence that has been on full show throughout his first months in Italy.
Suzuki was given the beginning for Parma’s league opener and took the chance by the scruff of his neck, making six saves in a 1-1 draw vs. Fiorentina, earlier than being known as into motion on a number of events and passing with flying colours in a 2-1 victory towards Milan. He has rapidly solidified a beginning spot in aim – identical to he’s performed with the Japanese nationwide staff – and emerged as one of many first names on Fabio Pecchia’s staff sheet. Parma sit sixteenth within the desk, one level away from the relegation zone , thanks largely to Suzuki’s particular person heroics in aim. He’s making 3.3 saves per recreation (the joint fifth-most in Serie A) with a save proportion of 67.4%, while solely Genoa’s Nicola Leali (5.7) and Vanja Milinković-Savić (3.7) have prevented extra objectives than him (2.1).
There have been indicators of inexperience, like on August 31 when he acquired a second yellow for a careless problem on David Neres and allowed Napoli to attain two late objectives in a comeback 2-1 win. Nonetheless, Suzuki’s aggressive nature has dovetailed with Pecchia’s tactical imaginative and prescient, charging off his line when required, sweeping up hazard, and making his presence recognized in aerial duels. Standing 6’3”, Suzuki has the athleticism and wingspan to not solely cease a strong shot from touring into the aim, however get a powerful punch to it and stop it from ricocheting right into a harmful space. He’s exhibited his fast reflexes and spectacular decision-making in quite a lot of high-pressure situations, continually well-positioned and switched on and able to getting down and laying out his physique on a second’s discover to defuse a travelling effort. What’s extra, Suzuki has excelled in possession and has confirmed adept at spraying the ball excessive and large and triggering an instantaneous counter-attack. It’s little marvel why the 16-time-capped Japan worldwide has rapidly emerged as a fan favourite on the Stadio Ennio Tardini.
In comparison with goalkeepers in Europe’s high 5 leagues, Suzuki ranks within the 92nd percentile for crosses stopped (9.8%) in addition to the 74th for Publish-Shot Anticipated Targets minus Targets Allowed (+0.11). He’s the third-highest rated Parma participant (6.96) and has the joint-most Man of the Match awards (4) in FotMob’s Serie A database alongside Lazio’s Mattia Zaccagni and Nuno Tavares, Roma’s Paulo Dybala, Genoa’s Andrea Pinamonti and Torino’s Milinković-Savić.
Suzuki had the chance to affix Manchester United in 2023 and function André Onana’s backup – as a substitute, he selected to depart Japan for Belgium in an effort to get common minutes on the senior degree. That persistence is beginning to repay for him, who has grow to be the primary Japanese goalkeeper in Serie A historical past this season. At 22 years outdated, Suzuki has constructed a repute as one of the thrilling goalkeeping prospects in Europe, and it’s solely a matter of time earlier than he departs Parma for one of many greatest golf equipment within the continent.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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