Gavin Bazunu Completes £15 Million Move To Southampton From Manchester City

For years now, Ederson has been Pep Guardiola's undisputed number one at Manchester City. The goalkeeper has made 241 appearances, keeping 120 clean sheets and winning three Golden Glove awards.

He - alongside Liverpool's Alisson Becker - is recognised as one of the best in the world, completely reinventing the role of a goalkeeper in the modern game.

For Pep Guardiola teams, you have to be as good with your feet as you are with your hands, which is why the Catalan took the brave decision of selling fan favourite Joe Hart the moment he walked through the doors at the Etihad Stadium.

The signing of Claudio Bravo was not the answer, but since Ederson's arrival in England, no-one has got close to displacing him and he is likely to remain between the sticks for years to come.

That means any youth talent coming through the ranks at Manchester City will likely have to move on in search of regular gametime - something that has certainly been the case for Gavin Bazunu.

Gavin Bazunu has joined Southampton (MI News & Sport / Alamy)

The Irish international has been touted as the next big thing after his Player of the Season performances for Portsmouth last campaign. He spent a year on loan at Fratton Park, where many coaches and players were backing him to succeed in the Premier League.

Maybe not to the delight of the Pompey faithful, but Gavin Bazunu has actually completed his £15 million move to Southampton from Manchester City today, on a five-year deal.

Speaking initially about the move, Gavin Bazunu has said:  “I’m delighted to be here. It’s been in the works for a few weeks and I’m really happy that we’ve got everything over the line, and I’m just excited to see what’s ahead.

“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.”

Earlier in the week, James Ducker from the Telegraph confirmed a medical had took place on Thursday, with an initial £12 million deal rising to £15 million with the various add-ons.

Manchester City have inserted a buy-back option into the deal and also hold a 20% sell-on fee, should the young goalkeeper decide to move on from St Mary's in the future.

The 20-year-old is expected to compete with James McCarthey for the number one spot after Fraser Forster was sold to Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the window.