Il Parma he may have identified the goalkeeper to pair with Chichizola in Serie A: the Japanese-American seems to have the right “set-up”, in terms of perspective Zion Suzuki (born in 2002), playing for Belgian side Sint-Truiden.
The interest was reported by Sky Sport market expert Gianluca Di Marzio during the program “Calciomercato – L’originale”. Of important physical build (190 cm), 22 years old on August 21, Suzuki has cosmopolitan origins: Japanese mother and American father, but of Ghanaian origins, born in Little Rock, USA, he spent his youth in Saitama, Japan.
In the land of the Rising Sun, he made his professional debut with theUrawa Redsafter having gone through the entire youth system there, and won the first trophies in his career (4, including the AFC Champions League, the Asian equivalent of the European one). Last summer, his good performances had attracted the attention of Sint Truidenwhere he then went to strengthen the contingent of Japanese players, as many as 7: the 32 appearances overall (22 in the Jupiler Pro League and 10 in the playoffs) have consecrated him as a starter for the Flemish team, ninth at the end of a regular season in which he kept 6 clean sheets and immediately 50 golSuzuki’s CV also includes 8 appearances for the youth teams of Japanbut above all the 10 in senior national teamwhere he made his debut at the age of 19.
Con Leandro Chichizola he shares the same ease with the ball at his feet, but compared to the Argentine he was even more involved (48 touches per game against Leo’s 41); however, his football is less precise and less inclined to long passes, decidedly better with ball-in-hand re-launches. Like the current Crociati goalkeeper, his ability to intercept opponents’ crosses is extraordinary, a fundamental in which he was among the best in all of Europe. Furthermore, the data on shots saved is identical: 70% for both.
Of obvious talent and personality, Suzuki could make the definitive leap by spending a year alongside an experienced goalkeeper who is familiar with Italian football like Chichizola. Parma seems to have found the right identikit for their next goalkeeper, but they still have to beat the competition from Genoalooking for a replacement for the departing Martinez, now promised to Inter.
