This Tuesday, September 1st, as the team prepares to host AS Monaco this Friday for Matchday 3 of the 2026-2027 Ligue 1 season, Paris Saint-Germain has a small occasion to celebrate: the birthday of defender Ilya Zabarnyi, who turns 24 today.
Having arrived at the end of the 2025 summer transfer window following lengthy negotiations between PSG and Bournemouth, Zabarnyi has not yet fully won everyone over in the capital. While there have been good performances, there have also been some rather disappointing ones. It must be said that the defender is carrying the weight of a costly transfer (over €60 million) that was complex to finalize. Not to mention the expectation that he might eventually replace club legend Marquinhos (32) in the long run.
That may be asking a bit much—at least for the time being. Above all, the Ukrainian should be viewed as an additional defensive option with the potential for significant development. Zabarnyi has already demonstrated certain qualities; his continued adaptation will be key to confirming that potential and moving forward. In the meantime, we wish him a happy birthday.
