The PSG transfer window is very calm for the moment, but Luis Enrique is waiting for the signing of a central defender. The Parisian coach thinks very highly of Illya Zabarnyi, but the Ukrainian player poses a very sensitive condition.
While there is a lot of talk about Randal Kolo Muani and Milan Skriniar, for whom Paris Saint-Germain wants to find a club by February 3 and the end of the winter transfer window, Luis Enrique hopes to be able to count on a real competitor to Marquinhos. The Team revealed it in the summer transfer window of 2024, Luis Campos follows Illya Zabarnyi, the defender of Ukraine and Bournemouth, very closely. At 22, the kyiv native, revealed in the Dynamo kyiv jersey before joining the Premier League, is considered one of the best in his position, his very committed style of play having caught the eye of the greatest European clubs. PSG therefore contacted the Zabarnyi clan and the latter's response was clear, as confirmed by Loïc Tanzi.
PSG wants the Ukrainian defender, there is a huge problem
Speaker in the podcast “ 100% PSG the Tribune », the journalist from the sports daily made this totally surprising revelation. The leaders of Paris Saint-Germain have considered the idea of immediately parting ways with Matvey Safonov, their Russian goalkeeper, with whom Illya Zabarnyi refuses to play due to the war between Russia and Ukraine. “ Illya Zabarnyi is Ukrainian, and there is a Russian player in the Paris Saint-Germain squad, Matvey Safonov. Zabarnyi says if Safonov is in the squad, he can't come. It is also said that being a central defender, there is a Russian goalkeeper and that these are two positions which must be ultra-connected on the pitch. If we ever have a problem, I don't want it to come to the fact that I'm Ukrainian and he's Russian and that becomes a problem in the squad. PSG even asked the question of selling Safonov to bring in Zabarnyi, but if that is no longer the case, even if Luis Enrique is a fan of the defender », explained Loïc Tanzi.
The case is therefore completely at a standstill for the moment, Safonov having totally improbably had the confidence of Luis Enrique during several big PSG matches to the detriment of Gianluigi Donnaruma. Surprise reinforcement for the 2024 transfer window, the Russian goalkeeper will probably deprive Paris Saint-Germain of a defender considered one of the strongest of his generation. Unless Luis Campos pulls off a sleight of hand during the month of January, but that seems to be going badly, at a time when the value of the Ukrainian defender from Bournemouth is exploding since in two years, Illya Zabarnyi has seen his price go from 22 to 39 million euros according to Transfermarkt.
