Southampton have signed goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu from Manchester City on a five-year contract until June 2027.
Bazunu signed for Man City in September 2018 from Shamrock Rovers, Republic of Ireland as a 16 year-old, although he chose to remain in his hometown of Dublin in order to complete his education at the time and eventually joined up with City in February 2019.
The Irish goalkeeper however failed to break through into City’s senior squad, except for when he was named as an unused substitute in the second leg of Man City’s Champions League Round of 16 tie against Real Madrid in August 2020.
Bazunu has spent the last two seasons on loan in League One at Rochdale and Portsmouth respectively where he made 78 appearances in combined total across both clubs.
Speaking about his decision to join Southampton who had agreed a reported £12m transfer fee with City, Bazunu said that he was “delighted” to complete his move after weeks of discussions and negotiations.
The 20 year-old also spoke about what he wants to achieve at St Mary’s Stadium as he said: “I feel like it’s a place I can come and develop and learn my game.
“The biggest thing is opportunity – the fact that I can come here and have a chance to play regular football. Just to be given that opportunity to fight for my place is the biggest thing that I could’ve asked for.”
Manager, Ralph Hasenhuttl added that the club is keen on signing “young talent” as he described Bazunu as “a very exciting addition” to the team, following the departures of Fraser Forster and Harry Lewis who have joined Tottenham Hotspur and Bradford City respectively on free transfers.
Bazunu will be battling Alex McCarthy for the starting spot in goal this season with fellow goalie, Willy Caballero yet to commit his future to the club as the Argentinean continues contract talks over a new deal.
Hasenhuttl however believes that the Irish goalkeeper will be a great rival for McCarthy and potentially Caballero, as he added: “We believe he has tremendous potential to improve and will give us great competition for places in the goalkeeping department.
“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.”
Bazunu is already a fully fledged international goalkeeper – having represented Republic of Ireland on 10 occasions throughout 2021, which Hasenhuttl feels is “rare” for any 20 year-old goalkeeper.
Hasenhuttl also paid tribute to Man City for their development work with Bazunu, as he concluded: “Coming from Manchester City, we know he has learned from some of the very best coaches and teammates, and coming here gives him more opportunities to develop his game through playing in the Premier League.”
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