Illia Zabarnyi to PSG is official, with Paris Saint-Germain signing the Bournemouth centre-back on a five-year contract. Sky Sports reports a £54.5m (€63m) guaranteed fee with up to £2.6m (€3m) in add-ons, while ESPN puts the total value at up to £57.1m. The European champions pursued the Ukraine international since early June and completed the move after the player signalled his preference for PSG.
Bournemouth’s Backline Thins
The transfer continues a summer of major departures from Bournemouth’s defence. Sky Sports lists exits including Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid and Milos Kerkez to Liverpool, with ESPN adding goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga’s move to Arsenal. Bournemouth have lined up Lille’s Bafodé Diakité as a replacement for the heart of their defence, having agreed a deal worth £30.3m plus potential add-ons.
What PSG Get
Zabarnyi, 21, made 36 appearances for Bournemouth last season, scoring once, and helped the club reach a Premier League-best 56 points, ESPN notes. He has 49 caps for Ukraine and featured three times at Euro 2024. “I’m very happy to join Paris Saint-Germain… I am here to give everything I have on the pitch,” he said in a statement, per ESPN. PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi called him “a talented international” who will make “a major contribution” to the club’s long-term project.
What’s Next
Illia Zabarnyi to PSG bolsters Luis Enrique’s options as the European champions prepare for the UEFA Super Cup against Tottenham Hotspur and start their Ligue 1 title defence away to Nantes, ESPN reports. PSG have also added goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier during this window.
