Fabrizio Romano Drops Latest on PSG Pursuing €70M-Rated Bournemouth Star Amid Newcastle United Link | OneFootball

PSG are expected to make signing a center-back a top priority this summer, and one name that continues to gain momentum is Bournemouth defender Illya Zabarnyi. But landing the Ukrainian defender won’t be easy.

The Parisians have leaned into a youth-focused recruitment strategy in recent windows, bringing in players like Lucas Beraldo and Willian Pacho. That trend looks set to continue, even with the summer transfer window still weeks away and speculation already ramping up.

According to a previous report from L’Équipe’s Loïc Tanzi, PSG have held talks with Bournemouth over a potential deal for Zabarnyi. The 22-year-old is said to be eager to join the French side ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup, but Bournemouth are holding firm on their €70 million asking price.

More recently, EuroSport’s Romain Collet-Gaudin reported that a deal is close, with Zabarnyi expected to finalize his move to Paris once the Club World Cup wraps up.

What’s the latest on PSG pursuing Bournemouth standout

Michael Steele/Getty Images

On Friday, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano provided an update on the file. Here’s what he stated on X:

“Paris Saint-Germain keep advancing in talks to sign Ilya Zabarnyi after personal terms agreed last week. Negotiations underway for fee close to €55/60m as L’Équipé reported; not a done deal yet as Bournemouth insist on their conditions.”

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 and admired by Manchester City, is believed to have a starting price tag of around £50 million. A transfer isn’t done until the player is holding the jersey, so it will be interesting to see if PSG can get this deal over the line.