PSG Urged to Secure €70M-Rated Bournemouth Standout for Key Reason as Newcastle Circle | OneFootball

PSG are expected to target a center-back this summer, and Bournemouth defender Illya Zabarnyi has emerged as a standout option. But signing the Ukrainian defender won’t be easy.

The Parisians leaned into a youth-driven approach last year, adding players like Lucas Beraldo and Willian Pacho, and that trend looks set to continue. With the summer window still weeks away, transfer chatter is already ramping up.

According to a previous report from L’Équipe’s Loïc Tanzi, PSG remain in talks with Bournemouth over Zabarnyi. The 22-year-old is said to be keen on joining the Ligue 1 side before the FIFA Club World Cup, though Bournemouth are holding out for €70 million.

More recently, EuroSport’s Romain Collet-Gaudin reported that a deal is nearing completion, with Zabarnyi expected to make the move to Paris after the Club World Cup concludes.

Why PSG need to secure Bournemouth ace Illya Zabarnyi

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In his latest column for Ensemble PSG, journalist Zach Lowy explained why PSG need to secure Zabarnyi and have him join the squad once the FIFA Club World Cup is over.

In terms of depth [at center-back], PSG don’t have a great deal of options who might be able to fill in and act as a surrogate should one of those two fall prey to the injury bug,” Lowy wrote.

“Lucas Hernández and Presnel Kimpembe have both been regulars at the treatment table, Milan Škriniar looks set to be offloaded after previously being loaned out to Fenerbahçe, whilst Lucas Beraldo is still well away from reaching his prime. PSG needs a defender who can provide guarantees both in the short term and the long term, and Zabarnyi is just that.”

Recently, RMC Sport’s Fabrice Hawkins reported that there’s growing confidence among all parties that Illya Zabarnyi will be wearing a PSG jersey next season.

The Ukrainian defender is determined to join the French champions and has already reached a contract agreement with the club through 2030. Negotiations between PSG and Bournemouth are still ongoing, but the Parisian side is preparing a new offer in hopes of finalizing the transfer.

Still, PSG could face a challenge in securing the talented defender, as The iPaper reported that Zabarnyi, a serious target for Newcastle United and admired by Manchester City, is believed to have a starting price tag of around £50 million.