Aya Suzuki (20-Urawa), the next Goliath of Japanese soccer’s 2002 generation, says it’s “true” that he recently received an offer from English Premier League (EPL) giants Manchester United.
“It’s true that I received an offer from United, but I was very hesitant before making a decision,” he told Japanese sports daily Sportshochi on Saturday after his side’s 0-0 draw with Yokohama Marinos in the 22nd round of the 2023 J1 League.
Last month, major British media outlets reported that United had set a £5 million (8.3 billion won) transfer fee for Suzuki. Japanese media also picked up the story. After parting ways with David de Gea, United signed Andre Onana (Cameroon), with Suzuki as the backup goalkeeper. However, reports have emerged that Suzuki has turned them down.
Instead, he confirmed a loan move to Belgian first division side Sint-Truiden, which has a Japanese owner. “As a footballer and as a person, if I didn’t think about it, I would have wanted to go to United,” Suzuki said, “but I made this decision after spending a lot of time thinking about what the future holds.”
“I’m not even playing (consistently) in Japan right now,” he said, adding that he didn’t think it was possible for him to make a career out of playing for United right away. United signed Onana, and I thought it was very difficult considering the level I was playing at,” he said. “Even if I can’t go now, I want to try again in a few years, so I made this decision to keep taking steps forward.”
A mixed-race athlete born in the United States to a Ghanaian father and Japanese mother, Suzuki stands at 6-foot-3. He is known for his ability to utilize his superior physicality to make saves and his talent in the buildup. He is the main goalkeeper for Japan’s U-22 national team as they prepare for the 2024 Paris Olympics. He was called up to the A team for the East Asian Cup in July last year and made his A-match debut against Hong Kong.카지노사이트
He made his first-team debut for Urawa in 2021 and, by his own admission, doesn’t have much professional experience. Last season, he made just two appearances. This season, he hasn’t even played a single game. Urawa is led by 37-year-old veteran goalkeeper Shusaku Nishigawa.
Suzuki said, “I have to surpass (Nishigawa). Honestly, after playing this game (for Urawa), I thought about transferring, but I feel that I am not strong enough to accomplish it,” he confessed. Looking ahead to Belgium, he added: “My first goal is to take it one step at a time and keep playing. I will do my best to fulfill my dream of playing in the Premier League.”