"Ukrainian defensive player Illia Zabarnyi seals a deal with Paris Saint-Germain"
Ukrainian Footballer Illia Zabarnyi Joins Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have bolstered their defense with the signing of Ukrainian centre-back Illia Zabarnyi from AFC Bournemouth. The transfer was confirmed by the French club on Tuesday.
Zabarnyi, who began his career at Dynamo Kyiv, joined Bournemouth in January 2023 and made a significant impact at the Premier League club. Over two seasons, he made 86 appearances, scoring at least one goal, and was instrumental in helping Bournemouth achieve a historic ninth-place finish with a record number of points.
His impressive performance earned him the club’s Player of the Season award for the 2023-24 campaign. Notably, he helped Bournemouth secure a ninth-place finish, a significant improvement from their previous seasons.
Zabarnyi joined PSG on 12 August 2025 on a five-year contract, becoming the first-ever Ukrainian player for the club. He made his debut for PSG on 17 August 2025 in a 1–0 win against Nantes.
At PSG, Zabarnyi is expected to strengthen their defensive line, putting pressure on Brazilian stalwart Marquinhos in central defense. The transfer fee to PSG was reported to be around €63-66 million, making him one of Ligue 1’s most expensive defenders.
Before his move to PSG, Bournemouth have sold three of their first-choice defensive lineup from last season. Notably, Dean Huijsen was transferred to Real Madrid. Meanwhile, Milos Kerkez moved to Premier League champions Liverpool.
In summary, Illia Zabarnyi is a young, highly rated Ukrainian centre-back who has made a significant impact at both Dynamo Kyiv and AFC Bournemouth. His move to PSG in 2025 marks a significant addition to their defense and is expected to strengthen their defensive line.
- The European leagues witnessed significant changes with Illia Zabarnyi's move from AFC Bournemouth to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2025.
- With his transfer, Zabarnyi joined an elite group of players in PSG's roster, contributing to the art of football in France.
- Meanwhile, the news of Dean Huijsen's transfer from Bournemouth to Real Madrid and Milos Kerkez's move to Liverpool shook up the sporting landscape of the Premier League.
- As PSG's newest addition, Zabarnyi's impact in middle defense could potentially challenge the dominance of European-leagues' top defenses.
