Japan Goalkeeper's Move to PSG Falls Through
Listen to the story
Zion Suzuki, a Japanese goalkeeper who plays for Parma in Italy's Serie A, was reportedly close to a move to PSG.
PSG, the current champions of Europe, were said to be interested in signing him. However, that transfer now looks unlikely.
According to reports, the move has collapsed. One reason given is that Suzuki's agent asked for a very high fee.
There were also reports that a loan deal, where a player joins a club temporarily, had fallen through as well.
The news came late on a Saturday night, and it quickly caused a strong reaction online in Japan.
Many people online seemed shocked, with comments like 'no way' and 'unbelievable' appearing on social media.
Some fans said the situation was 'not funny' and asked what exactly had gone wrong with the deal.
Meanwhile, former players from Juventus, another big Italian club, reportedly reacted to rumours linking Suzuki with their team.
Some of them were said to be unhappy, apparently hoping for a more famous, 'bigger name' signing instead.
As of now, no official statement has confirmed the reasons for the failed transfer.
Suzuki remains a Parma player, and his future club is still unclear.
Vocabulary6 words
- goalkeeper
- the player who stops the ball going into the goal
- Serie A
- the top football league in Italy
- transfer
- when a player moves from one team to another
- agent
- a person who arranges deals for a player
- fee
- money paid for something, like a transfer
- loan
- when a player joins another team for a short time only
Quiz
Answer key
1. His agent asked for a high fee 2. Parma 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Zion Suzuki, a Japanese _____ who plays for Parma in Italy's _____, was reportedly close to a move to PSG.
PSG, the current champions of Europe, were said to be interested in signing him. However, that _____ now looks unlikely.
According to reports, the move has collapsed. One reason given is that Suzuki's _____ asked for a very high _____.
There were also reports that a _____ deal, where a player joins a club temporarily, had fallen through as well.
Meanwhile, former players from Juventus, another big Italian club, reportedly reacted to rumours linking Suzuki with their team.
Some of them were said to be unhappy, apparently hoping for a more famous, 'bigger name' signing instead.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think transfer fees can cause deals to collapse in football?
- How do you think fans' reactions on social media affect players or clubs?
- Do you think agents asking for high fees is fair? Why or why not?
- What would you feel if your favourite player almost joined a bigger club but didn't?