Paris Saint-Germain could be in the market for a center-back this summer with Milan Skriniar likely on the way out permanently and Marquinhos well into his 30s.
The Parisians injected young blood last year with Lucas Beraldo and Willian Pacho so this youth movement could continue this summer. Although the summer transfer window is still a couple of months away, rumors are still emerging.
In January, L’Équipe’s Loïc Tanzi reported that Ilya Zabarnyi isn’t interested in joining PSG. The Ukrainian defender is reportedly wary of potential tensions with Russian goalkeeper Matvey Safonov.
PSG had considered selling Safonov to clear the way for Zabarnyi, but the defender’s reluctance to move to Paris has complicated those plans. Despite that, manager Luis Enrique remains a fan of Zabarnyi.
Does PSG still want to insist on Ilya Zabarnyi?
On Thursday, journalist Sacha Tavolieri reported that the Ligue 1 side will try again this summer to secure the Ukranian defender to bolster their backline.
Je comprends mieux pourquoi le #PSG veut recruter Illya Zabarnyi cet été. Un monstre. #UKRBEL
— Sacha Tavolieri (@sachatavolieri) March 20, 2025
The question will be whether PSG decide to offload Safonov this summer, which they could considering Gianluigi Donnarumma could be the undisputed No. 1 for the capital club, especially if he extends his contract.
As a result, PSG can either sell or loan Safonov and see if that’s enough to convince Zabarnyi to leave Bournemouth for the French capital. Nonetheless, the Parisians will face comeptition.
According to a report from CaughtOffside last November, despite the Ukrainian defender recently committing to a contract with Bournemouth until 2029, the club is open to offers in the region of £50 million.
Furthermore, the report suggests that Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur will compete for Zabarnyi’s signature.
