Bournemouth hold firm on Illia Zabarnyi asking price amidst PSG interest

Paris Saint-Germain are interested in signing centre-half Illia Zabarnyi this summer but the Champions League winner will have to pay Bournemouth’s €70m asking price.

The two clubs have been discussing a deal for weeks, with PSG’s initial proposals only going up to €60m.

PSG’s run to the just concluded Club World Cup final have seen them smile at the back and theor need for centre-half back-up became clear through the injury to Willian Pacho.

Having lost out 3-0 to Chelsea in the final, PSG will be eager to sign a new centre-half before the summer transfer window closes.

Zabarnyi had long been a main target for PSG but the need has only increased, strengthening Bournemouth’s hand. They are currently not budging from a valuation of €70m (£59m) for the 22-year-old Ukrainian.

Bournemouth are meanwhile now prepared to spend to replace their expensive outgoings, having already sold centre-half Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid and left-back Milos Kerkez to Liverpool. The sale of Zabarnyi could take their incomings to around £150m.

The transfer of Huijsen after Madrid activated his £50m release clause represented a significant profit for the Cherries, less than 12 months since they signed the Malaga academy product from Juventus for £12.6m on a six-year contract.

Meanwhile, Kerkez headed to Anfield on a five-year contract after Liverpool paid £40m, with Reds sporting director Richard Hughes involved in recruiting the Hungary international for a second time after the Scot was involved in buying him for Bournemouth in 2023.