Aston Villa have agreed a deal for Zion Suzuki from Parma, with reports putting the fee at £29.9 million, about £30m, or €35 million depending on the source. The Japan goalkeeper is expected to arrive as Villa prepare for life with a new No 1, while Emiliano Martínez's future remains unresolved.

Villa's move for Suzuki

The size of the deal varies across the reports, but the direction is the same. TEAMtalk says the package is worth €35million (£30m, $41m), while BBC Sport puts it at about £30m. TheHardTackle reported a £29.9 million agreement, and TEAMtalk also said Villa are paying €30 million up front plus €5 million in potential add-ons.

The form of payment matters less than the decision itself. Villa have gone after a goalkeeper with 57 Serie A appearances since 2024, and that is before you get to his international experience. Suzuki started all four of Japan’s World Cup matches, which is a decent sign that Villa are not treating this as a short-term patch-up.

Villa ended last season fourth in the Premier League and collected 65 points, so a move for a starter-level keeper fits the level they are trying to hold. The next league fixture is away at Brighton on 23 August, which should tell us quickly whether Suzuki is in place in time.

Martinez and Juventus

The other half of the story is M. Martinez. BBC Sport says his proposed move to Juventus collapsed because the clubs could not agree a fee, while TEAMtalk reported that Juventus pulled out or backed away from the move.

Damian Vidagany, Aston Villa director of football operations, said: "The goalkeeper's future is settled. He is staying with us, and we have no intention of letting him go this summer."

He also said: "The team needs his efforts and extensive experience, and he is a very important element in our project for next season."

Those comments sit awkwardly beside the transfer movement around Suzuki, but they do at least show Villa were speaking publicly about Martinez while planning around a possible shuffle in goal. The key update now is the one that already has a fee attached to it: Villa have agreed a deal for Suzuki, and Brighton away on 23 August is the first checkpoint.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →