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Southampton have completed the signing of Manchester City goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, paying a reported £12million for the Republic of Ireland international.
Bazunu, who has 10 caps for his country but never played for City’s first team after joining from Shamrock Rovers in 2019, has signed a five-year contract.
The transfer news will be even sweeter for Southampton fans given Bazunu spent the 2021-22 campaign on loan at local rivals Portsmouth, winning the club’s Player of the Season award.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s team ended the 2021-22 Premier League season in 15th after failing to win any of their final six games, and will lose the experienced Fraser Forster to Tottenham at the end of his contract this month.
Southampton used three different goalkeepers in their league fixtures last term, with Forster’s 19 appearances making him the most frequently selected Saints shot stopper.
With a save percentage of 66.02 per cent, Forster, as well as Alex McCarthy (61.97 per cent), and Willy Caballero (54.55), struggled between the sticks for Southampton, and Hasenhuttl says Bazunu’s experience of working with Pep Guardiola’s men makes him an ideal acquisition.
“He is a goalkeeper with a very modern style of play, comfortable in the build-up phase, who has developed physically through some very important loan moves early in his career,” he said.
“He is already an international goalkeeper, which is very rare for his age.
“Coming from Manchester City, we know he has learned from some of the very best coaches and team-mates, and coming here gives him more opportunities to develop his game through playing in the Premier League.”
For Bazunu, who was behind Ederson, Zack Steffen and Scott Carson in the City pecking order, the move represents a chance to play regular Premier League football.
“The biggest thing is opportunity – the fact that I can come here and have a chance to play regular football,” the 20-year-old said.
“Just to be given that opportunity to fight for my place is the biggest thing that I could’ve asked for.”
