Tottenham are reportedly ‘ready to pay’ the £61m Bournemouth want for Ilya Zabarnyi after Paris Saint-Germain had an offer rejected for the Ukraine international.
Spurs have so far signed Mohammed Kudus, Kevin Danso, Mathys Tel, Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai for around £120m, while they’re still pushing to sign Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest after they triggered what turned out to be his secret £60m release clause.
New manager Thomas Frank also wants to add another centre-back to his ranks as he prepares for Champions League football next season and has set his sights on Zabarnyi, who could be the second centre-back to leave Bournemouth this summer after Dean Huijsen left for Real Madrid.
Transfer journalist Gianluca Di Marzio claims PSG have already ‘sent an offer of around €60m [£52m]’ which was rejected by Bournemouth, and may well be beaten to the 22-year-old by Tottenham, who he claims are ‘ready to pay the €70m [£61m] required by Bournemouth, bonuses included’.
The problem for Frank and Spurs is that Zabarnyi’s ‘priority is orientated towards the French club’, who may yet make a second bid for the centre-back.
TBR Football claim that Bournemouth have ‘asked about’ PSG defender Lucas Beraldo as an option to replace Zabaryni.
The 21-year-old started 22 Ligue 1 games for PSG last season but barely featured in the Champions League, with Willian Pacho preferred by Luis Enrique as they won the trophy.
He’s therefore thought to be ‘available’ for transfer as Enrique ‘looks to rework part of his squad’, with the report claiming Beraldo’s people are doing work on potential options with PSG understood to be open to offers and they are approaching a number of clubs in England’.
‘These include Liverpool and Chelsea, who were keen on Beraldo before his move from Sao Paulo in early 2024,’ the report adds.
TBR claim the deal would be ‘separate from PSG’s ongoing interest in Zabarnyi’, before revealing that the Bournemouth star has already snubbed interest from several Premier Legue clubs as he only has eyes for PSG.
The report adds:
‘Zabarnyi has confirmed his desire to move to the French capital and personal terms have been agreed.
‘Indeed, he has shunned prospective interest from England with Liverpool, Chelsea and Newcastle all showing an interest – but he is committed to PSG.
‘Bournemouth are refusing to drop their asking price of £60million for the Ukraine international, while PSG’s highest offer thus far is £55million.’