Practice English with NewsPractice with News
Sports197 words2 min read

Zion Suzuki's Move to Paris Saint-Germain Falls Through

a row of orange cars parked in a forest
Photo by Daren Inshape on Unsplash
0:00 / 0:00

Listen to the story

Japanese goalkeeper Zion Suzuki's expected move to Paris Saint-Germain has fallen apart, according to Italian local media.

Suzuki currently plays in Italy's Serie A. Reports had suggested he was close to completing a transfer to PSG, one of Europe's biggest clubs based in France.

However, the deal is now reported to have collapsed. Italian outlets say English club Aston Villa has re-emerged as a possible new destination for the goalkeeper.

Before the PSG talks, there had also been discussion of a loan move for Suzuki to Juventus, another major Italian club. That plan reportedly stopped as well.

Well-known transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano reported on the situation, asking why the deal seemed to cool so quickly within just 48 hours.

According to reports, sources close to Juventus were reportedly unhappy, feeling an agreement understood between the clubs had been broken.

It is also reported that PSG's delay, described as 'buying time', caused the negotiations to stall. Communication between the parties reportedly happened only by phone, without a face-to-face meeting.

For now, Suzuki's next club remains unclear. Fans are watching closely to see whether Aston Villa will make a formal move, or whether another club could enter the picture.

Vocabulary7 words

goalkeeper
a player who stops the ball from entering the goal
transfer
the process of a player moving to a new club
deal
an agreement made between two sides
loan
a temporary move to another club
journalist
someone who writes and reports news
agreement
a shared understanding between people or groups
negotiations
talks aimed at reaching a deal

Quiz

1. What happened to Suzuki's expected move to PSG?
2. Which club has reportedly re-emerged as a possible destination for Suzuki?
3. True or false: Reports say communication between the clubs happened only by phone.

Fill-in-the-blank listening

Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.

Japanese _____ Zion Suzuki's expected move to Paris Saint-Germain has fallen apart, according to Italian local media.

Suzuki currently plays in Italy's Serie A. Reports had suggested he was close to completing a _____ to PSG, one of Europe's biggest clubs based in France.

However, the _____ is now reported to have collapsed. Italian outlets say English club Aston Villa has re-emerged as a possible new destination for the goalkeeper.

Before the PSG talks, there had also been discussion of a _____ move for Suzuki to Juventus, another major Italian club. That plan reportedly stopped as well.

Well-known transfer _____ Fabrizio Romano reported on the situation, asking why the deal seemed to cool so quickly within just 48 hours.

According to reports, sources close to Juventus were reportedly unhappy, feeling an _____ understood between the clubs had been broken.

It is also reported that PSG's delay, described as 'buying time', caused the _____ to stall. Communication between the parties reportedly happened only by phone, without a face-to-face meeting.

Discussion questions

  1. Why do you think transfer deals in football can suddenly collapse like this?
  2. What problems can happen when clubs communicate only by phone instead of meeting in person?
  3. Do you follow football transfer news? Why or why not?
  4. How do you think this situation might affect Suzuki's career?

More Sports stories