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Gavin Bazunu

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Gavin Bazunu
Personal information
Full name Gavin Okeroghene Bazunu[1]
Date of birth (2002-02-20) 20 February 2002 (age 19)[2]
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Portsmouth
(on loan from Manchester City)
Number 1
Youth career
Shamrock Rovers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018 Shamrock Rovers 4 (0)
2019– Manchester City 0 (0)
2020–2021 → Rochdale (loan) 29 (0)
2021– → Portsmouth (loan) 25 (0)
National team‡
2019 Republic of Ireland U17 2 (0)
2019– Republic of Ireland U21 3 (0)
2021– Republic of Ireland 10 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21:51, 31 January 2022 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 00:03, 15 November 2021 (UTC)

Gavin Okeroghene Bazunu (born 20 February 2002) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Portsmouth, on loan from Manchester City.

He 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 is currently spending the 2021–22 season on loan at Portsmouth.

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

Early and personal life

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

Club career

Having come through the academy at Shamrock Rovers,[5] 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][6] Manager Stephen Bradley stated that despite not wanting to 'throw [young goalkeepers] in that early', Bazunu was 'ready' for his first-team debut.[6] He made 3 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.[7]

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.[8][9] The following month, it was announced he has signed a pre-contract agreement with Manchester City,[10] with it initially agreed he would join the club in summer 2019, before it was moved forward to February 2019.[11] He made his debut for Manchester City's under-18 side on 9 February 2019 against Stoke City U18.[11]

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.[12] He signed a contract extension until 2024 and joined League One side Rochdale on a season-long loan later that month.[13][14] 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,[15] and made his first league appearance the following week in a 3–1 defeat at Swindon Town.[16]

On 1 July 2021, he moved on loan to Portsmouth for the 2021–22 season.[17][18]

International career

Bazunu has played for the Republic of Ireland at under-17 and under-21 youth levels.[2][19]

In March 2021, he was called into the senior Republic of Ireland team for the first time, for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[20] He made his senior debut in a 1–0 defeat on 27 March 2021 against Luxembourg.[21]

Career statistics

Club

As of 31 January 2022[2]
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 League of Ireland Premier Division 4 0 0 0 0 0 2[a] 0 6 0
Manchester City 2018–19 Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2019–20 Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2020–21 Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2021–22 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 League One 29 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 32 0
Portsmouth (loan) 2021–22 League One 25 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 27 0
Career total 58 0 3 0 2 0 2 0 65 0
  1. ^ Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League

International

As of match played 14 November 2021[2]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Republic of Ireland 2021 10 0
Total 10 0

References

  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. ^ Pyne, Anthony (8 July 2020). "Young, black and Irish — the generation ready to rise". www.rte.ie. Raidió Teilifís Éireann. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  5. ^ Bray, Joe (4 October 2018). "Who is Gavin Bazunu? New Man City signing in profile". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ "Cork City denied by 16-year-old sensation Gavin Bazunu". www.irishtimes.com.
  8. ^ "Manchester City complete deal to sign Gavin Bazunu from Shamrock Rovers". Sky Sports. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ Sherlock, Harry (4 October 2018). "Manchester City transfer news: Man City agree record deal to sign teenage goalkeeper". Goal. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  11. ^ a b Bray, Joe (9 February 2019). "New Man City signing makes debut after move brought forward". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  12. ^ Fitzmaurice, Aidan (4 August 2020). "Irish teenager Gavin Bazunu included in Manchester City's Champions League squad". Irish Independent. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  13. ^ "Academy contracts update". www.mancity.com. Manchester City F.C. 25 August 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  14. ^ "Gavin Bazunu: Manchester City loan goalkeeper to Rochdale for 2020–21 season". BBC Sport. 25 August 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  15. ^ Cooney, Gavin (12 September 2020). "6 young Irish players to watch in England this season". The42. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  16. ^ Connaughton, Gary (14 September 2020). "Irish Player Ratings: In-Depth Roundup Of Our Footballers Abroad". Balls.ie. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  17. ^ Cummiskey, Gavin. "Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu joins Portsmouth on loan". The Irish Times.
  18. ^ "Man City keeper Bazunu agrees Pompey loan" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  19. ^ Gavin Bazunu at Global Sports Archive
  20. ^ "Teenage goalkeeper Bazunu earns first call-up as Kenny names squad for World Cup qualifiers". The 42. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  21. ^ Leahy, Ed (27 March 2021). "Teenage dream for Bazunu who makes Ireland debut". RTÉ. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
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