Zion Suzuki: The seven Aston Villa games he could miss as new 'issue' emerges

Aston Villa face the prospect of losing their first-choice goalkeeper Zion Suzuki for one of the busiest periods of their entire season in January.

The Japan international has starred for the Villans since his move from Parma in the summer, and he is seen as a huge part of the porject for them moving forward.

Addressing the goalkeeping situation was a top priority for Unai Emery and Co. in the summer, and Suzuki is seen as a genuinely top-class replacement for Emiliano Martinez.

However, Villa now face the prospect of losing their number one for up to seven games at the start of 2027, with Suzuki expected to represent Japan at the Asian Cup.

The tournament is being held in Saudi Arabia and opens on 7 January, with Japan surely already eyeing up a date in the final on 5 February.

Suzuki is just as important for his country as he is to his club, and the latter may be panicking slightly about his availability.

Zion Suzuki to miss Champions League finale

Suzuki has quickly become a crucial figure for Villa between the posts, but they face the prospect of potentially losing him for up to seven games after Christmas.

With the Asian Cup starting on 7 January, the stopper is likely to be away preparing with his national team for Villa's trip to Everton on 5 January.

The Premier League clashes against Manchester United on 16 January and Fulham on 23 January are also likely to require a change in goal for the Villans.

Should Japan progress to the latter stages of the Asian Cup, then Suzuki is also likely to be absent for the home game against Ipswich on 30 January, and the visit to Sunderland on 6 February.

Another crucial aspect of Villa's schedule in January is the conclusion of the league phase in the Champions League.

Emery's men wrap up their initial campaign with clashes against Borussia Dortmund and Slavia Prague on 19 and 27 January, respectively, with Suzuki expected to be absent for those two pivotal matches.

Aston Villa may not be comfortable with Marco Bizot

Former Villa scout and ex-goalkeeper Bryan King told Football Insider back in September that he's still not entirely convinced by Suzuki, and feels that he is always prone to an error

However, for Emery and Co., there is no doubt that he instils more confidence in the defence that veteran backup Marco Bizot.

The 35-year-old has struggled with a back injury in recent weeks, although he did return to play in the recent friendly against Sevilla.

However, Bizot is likely to be required during the busy January schedule, and he will be forced into the spotlight with hardly any minutes under his belt during the first half of the season.