Bournemouth’s defence crumbling in transfer market as Liverpool deal done and PSG advance talks
For the past decade, the Cherries have garnered a reputation as a selling club – taking wayward talents like Dominic Solanke, or rising stars like Nathan Ake, turning them into superstars and then being forced to sell them.
Arnaut Danjuma, Callum Wilson, Tyrone Mings and Aaron Ramsdale are just some of the names that have departed in recent seasons. But after an impressive Premier League campaign under Andoni Iraola, finishing ninth and just a stone’s throw away from European football, fans were hopeful that things might change this summer.
Yeah – fat chance of that happening, apparently.
Similarly, when Real Madrid come calling, you don’t hang up the phone – especially if you are Spanish, like Dean Huijsen. Like Kerkez, it’s a huge shame to see him go so soon, but at least Bournemouth have other defenders to call upon for the coming season.
Unless they get bought out too.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Paris Saint-Germain are “advancing talks” to sign Ukrainian centre-back Illia Zabarnyi, having already agreed personal terms.
Bournemouth are trying to negotiate a fee somewhere in the region of £50m, he added.
All of these departures – assuming the deals get over the line – leave just Marcos Senesi and James Hill as Iraola’s options in central defence. Elsewhere, forward Antoine Semenyo has become a target for the Premier League’s “big six” and could be snapped up by whichever club misses out on Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo.
There is plenty of time to make moves in the transfer market, and Bournemouth will certainly have the funds available to play with, but an exodus of starting XI players is still concerning for fans.
Bournemouth Reject PSG’s £55m Bid for Defender
Bournemouth Hold Firm as PSG Circle Illia Zabarnyi
Big money, bigger statement
Paris Saint-Germain’s £55 million approach for Illia Zabarnyi has been turned away by Bournemouth, as revealed by Sky Sports. It is not just a show of transfer window intent but a statement of rising ambition on the south coast. Bournemouth’s decision to reject the second bid, following PSG’s initial £40 million plus £5 million in add-ons, signals how highly they rate the 21-year-old Ukrainian.
Zabarnyi cost Bournemouth £24 million plus add-ons when he arrived from Dynamo Kyiv in 2023. His composure on the ball and defensive assurance have quickly made him a centrepiece of the club’s rebuild. Now, valued at over £70 million, he is attracting the kind of offers once reserved for more established Premier League defenders.
Zabarnyi’s rise and value
Bournemouth’s valuation is not simply stubbornness. As a club once regarded as a stepping stone, they are growing bolder. In Zabarnyi, they see a long-term project worth protecting. The Cherries “do not want to sell but the ongoing advances may be difficult to reject,” says Sky Sports, and rightly so. Financial prudence always dances with ambition in the modern game.
PSG’s persistence and timing
PSG’s willingness to return with another offer shows how seriously they rate Zabarnyi. They are expected to submit a third offer in the coming days. Their gaze stretches across Europe’s elite, but targeting a Bournemouth centre-back speaks volumes about the player’s progress.
Premier League clubs no longer pushovers
Bournemouth’s stance is part of a wider trend. Clubs outside the traditional top six are showing teeth. Whether it is Brighton, Brentford or now Bournemouth, the model has shifted. Talented players come in, are developed smartly, and sold only on terms that make sporting and financial sense.
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As a concerned Premier League supporter, especially one who has seen talents like Nathan Aké and Tyrone Mings leave Bournemouth for bigger stages, this report prompts worry and admiration in equal measure.
On one hand, Bournemouth’s hardline stance deserves respect. Turning down £55 million for a defender bought at £24 million less than two years ago suggests ambition, belief and a refusal to be bullied by football’s financial giants. They clearly value what Zabarnyi brings not just in defence but as a symbol of their evolution.
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