Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, president of Paris Saint-Germain since 2011, spoke on the club’s official website about the arrival at PSG of Ilya Zabarnyi, which was made official on Tuesday morning. Unsurprisingly, the Parisian boss is delighted to see the 22-year-old defender sign from Bournemouth.
“We are delighted to continue strengthening our squad with the signing of Illia Zabarnyi. Illia is a talented international player and a great professional – he will make a major contribution to everything we are building for the long term at Paris Saint-Germain.”
A €66 million transfer is always significant; it’s a major investment. All the more so for a defender, a position where prices are generally a little lower than for attackers. PSG’s insistence with Bournemouth was no coincidence. The Ukrainian international was specifically targeted to strengthen the squad now and build for the future.
He fits perfectly into the Parisian project for 2023, alongside other talented players who are eager to make their mark. They are there to grow and assert themselves. Zabarnyi will be well supported in this endeavor, and we have every confidence that he will make his mark with his qualities. He could well be a pillar of the Parisian team for many years to come.