Zion Suzuki has explained why he’s opted to join a Belgian club, despite Man United agreeing a fee to sign him this summer.
Zion Suzuki has chosen to join Belgian club STVV over Manchester United because he wants regular first-team starts.
It’s understood United agreed a fee with Urawa Red Diamonds for Suzuki with a view to the 20-year-old playing a back-up goalkeeper role, but the player rєjєƈτed the move to join Japanese-owned side STVV instead.
United felt Suzuki needed two more years before he was ready to have an impact in the Premier League.
Although STVV finished near the bottom of the Belgian Pro League last season, Suzuki has made the decision to join them this summer because he thinks it’s important to have regular starts at this stage of his career.
The ‘keeper recently explained his decision to rєjєƈτ United and admitted it was down to the role he was being offered.
“I decided to transfer this time as a step up in aiming to be the best in the world. It’s true that there was an offer from Manchester United,” Suzuki said (viaGOAL).
“As a football player and as a person, if I hadn’t thought about anything, of course, I would like to go to Manchester United, but among them, I really want to spєɴԀ time thinking about what kind of future awaits me. After much thought, I made this decision.
“Manchester United have acquired [Andre] Onana. It’s important for me to participate in matches, and I think it is also important to play on the world stage. I want to make the most of what I have learned here and do my best.”
Suzuki left the door open for a move to the Premier Lague in the future and added: “While many players are active overseas, it is difficult to become a ‘keeper. I think we are going to have a really tough battle ahead of us in that kind of place.
“There are still no Japanese who are active as goalkeepers in the Premier League, so I want to be one of the first players to do so. I want to keep moving forward step by step.”
