Ilya Zabarnyi, the 22-year-old central defender from Bournemouth (contract runs until 2028) and Ukraine, has been announced as a defensive priority for Paris Saint-Germain this mercato. Djamel reports today that the player has agreed terms with PSG, but that the absence of a deal between the two clubs is blocking any transaction.
Illya Zabarnyi est la priorité numéro 1 du PSG à ce poste. Le joueur a fait savoir avant même l’ouverture du mercato qu’il appréciait le projet parisien.
Luis Enrique et Luis Campos le suivent de près depuis plusieurs mois et sont convaincus qu’il peut atteindre un très… https://t.co/Bd1orhQObh pic.twitter.com/lQgSgyd23V
— Djamel (@Djaameel_) June 9, 2025
PSG are working hard behind the scenes to attract Illya Zabarnyi, considered by Luis Enrique and Luis Campos to be the ideal centrepiece of the future Parisian defence. The Ukrainian player, under contract until 2029 with Bournemouth, has made it clear to his managers that he wants to join Paris, strengthening the French club’s position in the discussions.
However, the major obstacle remains the amount demanded by the English: Bournemouth are asking for around 70 million euros, a sum deemed excessive by the Parisian management, who refuse to overpay after having paid considerably less for other recent recruits such as Willian Pacho. Despite an initial offer being turned down, PSG are continuing negotiations, hoping to take advantage of the player’s willingness to lower their opponents’ demands.
At the same time, Luis Campos is keeping a number of alternatives on the table, but Zabarnyi remains the number one target, not least to get him on the list for the Club World Cup. There are only a few hours left for the Parisian leaders to conclude this strategic deal, a symbol of a mercato in which Paris intends to reinforce its defensive solidity without allowing itself to be dictated to by the law of the market.
