Illia Zabarnyi Set for £57.1m Move to Paris St-Germain

Illia Zabarnyi Set for £57.1m Move to Paris St-Germain

Illia Zabarnyi Set for £57.1m Move to Paris St-Germain

Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi is poised to undergo a medical examination ahead of a £57.1 million transfer to Paris St-Germain.

The Ukrainian center-back is currently in Paris, having agreed to personal terms on a five-year contract with the European champions.

Negotiations between the clubs are ongoing regarding the final details of the 22-year-old's transfer, which is expected to consist of an initial fee of £54.5 million, supplemented by £2.6 million in performance-related bonuses.

Zabarnyi's departure marks the third significant sale of a defender by Bournemouth during this transfer window, following Dean Huijsen's transfer to Real Madrid for £50 million and Milos Kerkez's move to Liverpool for a reported £40 million.

While the Cherries face the challenge of rebuilding their defense, they are set to make a substantial profit from these transfers.

Zabarnyi joined Bournemouth in 2023 from Dynamo Kyiv for a reported £24 million, while Huijsen was acquired from Juventus last summer for £12.6 million, and Kerkez was signed from AZ Alkmaar for £15.5 million.

Over the weekend, Bournemouth secured a deal for Zabarnyi's replacement, Bafode Diakite, who will arrive from Lille for an initial fee of £30 million, potentially rising to £34 million with add-ons.

Transfers 'Hard to Turn Down'

While Bournemouth anticipated selling at least one defender this summer, the loss of three players has come as a surprise to club insiders.

Each transfer has been challenging to decline, given the lucrative offers from three of the world’s most prestigious clubs.

However, the protracted negotiations with PSG have demonstrated that Bournemouth has been conducting transactions on their own terms, despite acknowledging that each player has sought to advance their careers.

The Cherries, who more than tripled the £12.8 million they paid to sign Huijsen from Juventus just six months ago, did not foresee that his £50 million release clause would be viewed as a bargain by potential suitors within such a short timeframe.

Real Madrid ultimately secured Huijsen's services, but he attracted significant interest from other clubs, including Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea, following an impressive season at the Vitality Stadium.

Diakite will address one of the gaps in the center-back position, while £14.4 million signing Adrien Truffert has been brought in to fill the void left by Kerkez. Additionally, Bournemouth is actively seeking another central defender.

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic has replaced Kepa Arrizabalaga, who opted to join Arsenal from Chelsea instead of moving to Bournemouth. The club also signed teenage forward Eli Junior Kroupi in February.

Manager Andoni Iraola is also looking to add a striker to enhance competition for Evanilson, particularly as Enes Unal remains sidelined due to a serious knee injury sustained last season.

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