Suzuki’s former coach at Sint-Truiden in Belgium, Dennis Rudel, conjures up an intriguing picture of Villa’s new goalkeeper.
“We performed in Anderlecht and after the sport we went out to the bus and there was a struggle with hooligans,” he tells BBC Sport.
“The top coach known as for Zion: ‘Come right here, get out of the bus and clear the scenario.’
“It was a joke however you have got an image of Asterix and Obelix and every part is flying away. You could have by no means seen a goalkeeper or a participant like that.”
The comparability with Asterix, the cartoon character who positive aspects immense power after taking a magic potion, is telling, and Rudel believes Villa have signed a novel participant.
“I noticed his energy instantly. To point out your power within the sport it’s a must to let the tiger out on the pitch, let the beast out. He’s so highly effective, I’ve by no means seen a goalkeeper prefer it,” mentioned Rudel, who labored with Suzuki when he was on mortgage at Sint-Truiden in 2023-24.
“He has such huge fingers and is highly effective – when he can attain the ball will probably be 90-95% a save, perhaps different keepers contact the ball nevertheless it goes in. With him it’s one thing actually particular.
“After the primary two weeks of working with him I mentioned to him you do not want your condo, you reside within the health club.”
Rudel additionally praised Suzuki’s distribution, with each his arms and ft, and believes his former participant can develop into one of many world’s greatest.
“It is potential as a result of if he stays wholesome and together with his bodily power there is no such thing as a one higher on the planet, by way of dynamic, leaping energy, throws, kicking the ball,” mentioned the previous Union Berlin coach.
“Once I watched him on the World Cup, his largest power is he’s mentally clear – the deal with the sport or the coaching periods is so good. He’s all the time ready, actually disciplined.
“Once I see how he all the time adapts so shortly over the past 4 years, I am satisfied he can play at that [Premier League] degree.
“There are huge footsteps from Martinez [to follow], you get measured and in comparison with Martinez. It could be the identical at Bayern Munich with the brand new Manuel Neuer – Jonas Urbig who’s beginning to substitute him – you get in comparison with the previous participant.
“He is aiming to indicate he may be the most effective. He was instantly one of many high 4 or 5 goalkeepers in Serie A.
“As an individual and a participant, he’s a task mannequin and the way it is best to behave. I do not see any weak point in him.”
Rudel was key in bringing Suzuki to Europe having travelled to Japan in 2020 for teaching clinics and met Suzuki’s coach at Urawa Purple Diamonds, with the goalkeeper being flagged to him.
Sint-Truiden, who’ve additionally had Liverpool’s Wataru Endo and Crystal Palace duo Takehiro Tomiyasu and Daichi Kamada on their books, are owned by Japanese electronics and web firm DMM.com.
That helped pave Suzuki’s path to Belgium, and a 12 months later he joined Parma for £8m.
“[In 2023] we had been on the lookout for a brand new goalkeeper and had a few on the checklist however rapidly the membership mentioned we had an choice to get Zion. I mentioned to the sporting director ‘neglect the checklist – if we are able to get him, get him’,” added Rudel.
“His degree went up actually shortly, he’s very formidable, he wished to study lots, he requested lots. We did numerous video evaluation and I can bear in mind how good it was to work with him. It was a disgrace it was just one season.”