I was called one of greatest talents in the world – Man Utd can buy me for £40million

Manchester United could have signed Zion Suzuki for a fraction of his new £40miilion price tag in 2023. United previously agreed a £5m deal with Urawa Red Diamonds for the goalkeeper, but Suzuki rejected the club.

Instead, Suzuki astonishingly chose to join Belgian side Sint-Truiden on loan in search of regular football. The 22-year-old had already seen new United boss Erik ten Hag reunite with Andre Onana and knew he stood little chance of becoming David De Gea's successor, leading the club to sign Altay Bayındır as Onana's backup.

The Japan international opted for a more unconventional route, and it appears the risk paid off. In the summer, Parma paid £8.5m for Suzuki, who has made a strong impression in his debut Serie A season. However, this means that he is no longer the undiscovered talent that United were close to signing just a year-and-a-half ago.

According to talkSPORT, Parma now value their yong goalkeeper at £40m and hope to retain him for at least another season. While United are reportedly still tracking Suzuki's progress, his new price tag is eight times what the club agreed to pay at the beginning of Ten Hag's reign.

Fresh from winning Serie B, Parma are battling relegation this season, but Suzuki's impressive displays in Italy will only strengthen his case to potential suitors. He previously attracted interest from Chelsea and has also been linked with Bayern Munich. Still, United may return to Suzuki if new manager Ruben Amorim wishes to replace Onana in the future.

Former Sint-Truiden boss Thorsten Fink, who made Suzuki first choice ahead of veteran Daniel Schmidt, will be unsurprised by his rise. "It's unfortunate what's happening to [Schmidt], but Zion is now our first goalkeeper," Fink told