Paris Saint-Germain face goalkeeping turmoil after surprise Zyon Suzuki move

Paris Saint-Germain could be heading for significant uncertainty before the new season after stepping up their efforts to sign Parma goalkeeper Zyon Suzuki, according to a report published on Sunday.

The French club are already deeply involved in the transfer market and have confirmed the arrival of 18-year-old goalkeeper Alessandro Longoni. They are also pursuing a number of other targets, with talks for Ajax midfielder Mika Godts and Barcelona forward Ferran Torres understood to have reached an advanced stage.

Manager Luis Enrique is seeking to assemble a squad capable of reproducing the success Paris Saint-Germain enjoyed last season. However, the club’s latest goalkeeping move could create a difficult situation within the squad before the campaign begins.

Paris Saint-Germain already have an established goalkeeper, but their interest in Suzuki has intensified in recent hours. The 23-year-old Parma player is a Japan international and is regarded as a more experienced option than the recently signed Longoni.

According to Mundo Deportivo, a completed deal for Suzuki would leave Lucas Chevalier “extremely unhappy”. Chevalier is currently the reserve goalkeeper at Paris Saint-Germain, behind 27-year-old Matvey Safonov.

Longoni’s arrival has officially been presented as a signing for the future. Suzuki, however, would represent a more immediate challenge to Chevalier’s position and could increase competition for the role behind Safonov.

Chevalier had previously moved ahead of Safonov in the pecking order, but the French goalkeeper has since lost his starting place to the Russian. That change in status also prevented him from taking part in this summer’s World Cup, a tournament in which Suzuki reportedly impressed significantly.

The prospect of another goalkeeper entering the squad therefore threatens to make an already sensitive situation more complicated. Chevalier would face competition from both a highly rated young arrival and an established international goalkeeper, while Safonov remains ahead of him in the current hierarchy.

L’Equipe has reported that a dispute over the goalkeeping position at Paris Saint-Germain could develop over the coming days. The club’s decision to pursue Suzuki, despite already having Safonov, Chevalier and the new signing Longoni, may lead to considerable tension before the new season gets under way.

Paris Saint-Germain’s transfer activity is intended to strengthen Luis Enrique’s squad, with deals involving Godts and Torres also being worked on. But the unexpected focus on Suzuki has shifted attention towards the future of the club’s goalkeepers and raised the prospect of major disruption at the Parc des Princes.