Wikipedia

Gavin Bazunu

Gavin Okeroghene Bazunu (born 20 February 2002) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Southampton and the Republic of Ireland national team.

Gavin Bazunu
Personal information
Full name Gavin Okeroghene Bazunu[1]
Date of birth (2002-02-20) 20 February 2002 (age 22)[2]
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Southampton
Number 31
Youth career
Shamrock Rovers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018 Shamrock Rovers 4 (0)
2019–2022 Manchester City 0 (0)
2020–2021 → Rochdale (loan) 29 (0)
2021–2022 → Portsmouth (loan) 44 (0)
2022– Southampton 73 (0)
International career‡
2019 Republic of Ireland U17 2 (0)
2019 Republic of Ireland U21 3 (0)
2021– Republic of Ireland 22 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:16, 13 April 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 06:20, 27 March 2024 (UTC)

Bazunu started his career at Shamrock Rovers, making his first team debut in June 2018 at the age of 16, before joining Manchester City in February 2019. He spent the 2020–21 season on loan at Rochdale and the 2021–22 season on loan at Portsmouth.

An Irish youth international, he made his senior international debut in 2021.

Early and personal life

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Born in Dublin,[2] Bazunu was raised in the suburb of Firhouse.[3] He is of Irish,[4] and Nigerian descent.[5]

His brother Todd is a goalkeeper at U17 level with Shamrock Rovers.[6]

Club career

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Shamrock Rovers

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Having come through the academy at Shamrock Rovers,[7] Bazunu made his debut for Rovers' first team on 9 June 2018 in a 5–0 win at home to Bray Wanderers, at the age of 16.[2][8] Manager Stephen Bradley stated that despite not wanting to 'throw [young goalkeepers] in that early', Bazunu was 'ready' for his first-team debut.[8] He made three further appearances for Shamrock Rovers in the 2018 League of Ireland Premier Division.[2] These included a penalty save at Cork City which meant he kept four clean sheets out of four in the league.[9] Bazunu also made two appearances in the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League.[10]

Manchester City

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On 6 September 2018, it was announced that Bazunu had joined Premier League club Manchester City for an undisclosed fee reported to be £420,000, though a joining date had not been set, with Bazunu wishing to complete his education in the Irish education system.[11][12] The following month, it was announced he has signed a pre-contract agreement with Manchester City,[13] with it initially agreed he would join the club in summer 2019, before it was moved forward to February 2019.[14] He made his debut for Manchester City's under-18 side on 9 February 2019 against Stoke City U18.[14]

Bazunu was named in Manchester City's UEFA Champions League squad for a Round of 16 second leg match against Real Madrid in August 2020.[15]

Loans to Rochdale and Portsmouth

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He signed a contract extension with Manchester City until 2024 and joined League One side Rochdale on a season-long loan later that month.[16][17] He started and kept a clean sheet on his debut for Rochdale on 5 September 2020 in a 1–0 EFL Cup victory away to Huddersfield Town,[18] and made his first league appearance the following week in a 3–1 defeat at Swindon Town.[19]

On 1 July 2021, he moved on loan to Portsmouth for the 2021–22 season.[20][21] He was named as the club's Players' Player and Player of the Season.[22]

Southampton

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On 17 June 2022, Bazunu joined Southampton on a five-year contract[23] for a reported fee of £12 million.[24] On 6 August 2022, he made his first Premier League appearance for Southampton in a 4–1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.[25] Bazunu got his first clean sheet in the Premier League and for Southampton on 19 October 2022 in a 0–1 victory against Bournemouth.[26]

Ahead of a match against Preston North End on 16 April 2024, he suffered an achilles injury during the warm-up and was expected to miss the remainder of the 2023–24 season.[27] Manager Russell Martin later confirmed Bazunu would be sidelined for nine to ten months.[28][29]

International career

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Bazunu has played for the Republic of Ireland at under-17 and under-21 youth levels.[2][30] He played for the under-17s at the 2019 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.[31]

In March 2021, he was called into the senior Republic of Ireland team for the first time, for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[32] He made his senior debut in a 1–0 defeat on 27 March 2021 against Luxembourg.[33]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 13 April 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Shamrock Rovers 2018[2] League of Ireland Premier Division 4 0 0 0 0 0 2[a] 0 6 0
Manchester City 2018–19[34] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2019–20[35] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2020–21[36] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2021–22[37] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Rochdale (loan) 2020–21[36] League One 29 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 32 0
Portsmouth (loan) 2021–22[37] League One 44 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 46 0
Southampton 2022–23[38] Premier League 32 0 1 0 4 0 — 37 0
2023–24[39] Championship 41 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 41 0
2024–25[40] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
Total 73 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 78 0
Career total 150 0 4 0 6 0 2 0 162 0
  1. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

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As of match played 26 March 2024[2]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Republic of Ireland 2021 10 0
2022 3 0
2023 8 0
2024 1 0
Total 22 0

Honours

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Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Notification of shirt numbers: Rochdale" (PDF). English Football League. p. 59. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "G. Bazunu". Soccerway. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  3. ^ Malone, Emmet. "So far so good as Bazunu finds his feet at Manchester City". The Irish Times.
  4. ^ Show, Niall Ó Sioradáin RTÉ Radio 1 More from The Ray D'Arcy (8 September 2021). "Gavin Bazunu's Mum Cara Farrelly on The Ray D'Arcy Show" – via www.rte.ie.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Pyne, Anthony (8 July 2020). "Young, black and Irish — the generation ready to rise". www.rte.ie. Raidió Teilifís Éireann. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Todd Bazunu".
  7. ^ Bray, Joe (4 October 2018). "Who is Gavin Bazunu? New Man City signing in profile". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  8. ^ a b Quinn, Gavin (11 June 2018). "16-year-old Shamrock Rovers goalkeeper 'ready' for the big stage, claims Bradley". The42. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  9. ^ "Cork City denied by 16-year-old sensation Gavin Bazunu". www.irishtimes.com.
  10. ^ "AIK-Shamrock Rovers | UEFA Europa League 2018/19".
  11. ^ "Manchester City complete deal to sign Gavin Bazunu from Shamrock Rovers". Sky Sports. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  12. ^ "Manchester City beat Chelsea and Tottenham to sign 16-year-old Irish goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu in record deal". Irish Independent. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  13. ^ Sherlock, Harry (4 October 2018). "Manchester City transfer news: Man City agree record deal to sign teenage goalkeeper". Goal. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  14. ^ a b Bray, Joe (9 February 2019). "New Man City signing makes debut after move brought forward". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  15. ^ Fitzmaurice, Aidan (4 August 2020). "Irish teenager Gavin Bazunu included in Manchester City's Champions League squad". Irish Independent. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  16. ^ "Academy contracts update". www.mancity.com. Manchester City F.C. 25 August 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  17. ^ "Gavin Bazunu: Manchester City loan goalkeeper to Rochdale for 2020–21 season". BBC Sport. 25 August 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  18. ^ Cooney, Gavin (12 September 2020). "6 young Irish players to watch in England this season". The42. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  19. ^ Connaughton, Gary (14 September 2020). "Irish Player Ratings: In-Depth Roundup Of Our Footballers Abroad". Balls.ie. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  20. ^ Cummiskey, Gavin. "Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu joins Portsmouth on loan". The Irish Times.
  21. ^ "Man City keeper Bazunu agrees Pompey loan". BBC Sport.
  22. ^ a b "Bazunu Named Players' Player Of The Season". www.portsmouthfc.co.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  23. ^ "Saints complete Bazunu signing". Southampton FC. 17 June 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  24. ^ "Southampton sign Man City keeper Gavin Bazunu and Mateusz Lis". BBC Sport. 17 June 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  25. ^ Bysouth, Alex (6 August 2022). "Tottenham Hotspur 4–1 Southampton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  26. ^ Matthews, Callum (19 October 2022). "Bournemouth 0–1 Southampton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  27. ^ House, Alfie (16 April 2024). "Martin on decision to start McCarthy as Bazunu expected to miss season". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  28. ^ "Bazunu to be out for "nine to ten months"". Southampton FC. 19 April 2024. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  29. ^ House, Alfie (19 April 2024). "Bazunu ruled out for 9-10 months through ruptured Achilles injury". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  30. ^ Gavin Bazunu at Global Sports Archive
  31. ^ "U17 EURO: Ireland complete squad with Idowu call-up". fai.ie. Football Association of Ireland. 1 May 2019. Archived from the original on 4 May 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  32. ^ "Teenage goalkeeper Bazunu earns first call-up as Kenny names squad for World Cup qualifiers". The 42. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  33. ^ Leahy, Ed (27 March 2021). "Teenage dream for Bazunu who makes Ireland debut". RTÉ. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  34. ^ "Games played by Gavin Bazunu in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  35. ^ "Games played by Gavin Bazunu in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  36. ^ a b "Games played by Gavin Bazunu in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  37. ^ a b "Games played by Gavin Bazunu in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  38. ^ "Games played by Gavin Bazunu in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  39. ^ "Games played by Gavin Bazunu in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  40. ^ "Games played by Gavin Bazunu in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  41. ^ "Bazunu claims Castrol Save of the Month award". Premier League. 13 January 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  42. ^ "The RTÉ Sport Awards 2021 winners revealed". RTÉ. 20 December 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  43. ^ "Cullen & McCabe claim Player of the Year awards". Football Association of Ireland. 15 November 2021. Archived from the original on 15 November 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  44. ^ "PFA League One Team of the Year". www.thepfa.com. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  45. ^ "IFFHS Men's World Youth (U20) Team 2022". IFFHS. 12 January 2023.
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