Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi has been linked with a move to Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur have been looking to sign a new central defender in the upcoming winter transfer window owing to their crisis at the back. The North Londoners have been subject to aggressive links with a move for Bournemouth centre-back Illia Zabarnyi.
Spurs are short of options at the heart of defence given the persistent injury problems to starting defensive duo Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero. Furthermore, their backup, Ben Davies, is also currently sidelined, leaving Ange Postecoglou with limited resources.
Ange Postecoglou has been deploying Archie Gray, who is originally a midfielder, alongside Radu Dragusin in central defence for the last few games. Thus, the chiefs at the Hotspur Way have prioritised strengthening the options in defence during the upcoming January transfer window.
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Ange Postecoglou is keen on signing Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi
Tottenham are planning to make a £50m move to secure the services of Illia Zabarnyi, although it would not be easy to lure him away from Bournemouth given how important a player he has become under Andoni Iraola. While the North London club are contemplating making a move, it looks like a European heavyweight have already intensified their interest in the Cherries’ defensive star.
According to a report from French outlet L’Equipe, Zabarnyi has been the subject of internal discussions at Paris Saint-Germain ahead of a possible move in January. It will be a complex move to pull off but the French champions have started the process of bringing in the Ukrainian international to Parc des Princes.
Zabarnyi has grown in stature under the leadership of Iraola, establishing himself as one of the most reliable centre-backs in the Premier League in the last 12-15 months. The 22-year-old has played every minute of the ongoing Premier League campaign, helping the Cherries beat the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham at home.
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PSG entering the race for the Ukrainian is not good news for Spurs. The Parisians have the financial muscle, pull and Champions League football to lure Zabarnyi away from the Premier League. However, they lack a proper recruitment strategy, and despite making several high-profile signings over the years, the Ligue 1 outfit are yet to win the elusive Champions League.
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Spurs will at least boast of having a recruitment strategy that has improved a lot since Big Ange arrived in 2023, with the club prioritising young, hungry and dynamic talents with high potential. This makes Zabarnyi an excellent fit for Big Ange’s project, but whether Tottenham have the financial muscle to outbid PSG in January remains to be seen.