European champions Paris Saint-Germain have completed a €66 million deal to sign Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi on the eve of their Uefa Super Cup clash with Tottenham Hotspur.
PSG, who face Europa League winners Spurs in Italy on Wednesday, announced the arrival of Zabarnyi in a move reported to be worth an initial €63 million which could rise a further €3m with performance related add-ons.
The Ukrainian international has agreed a five-year contract with the Ligue 1 side having joined Bournemouth in January 2023 from Dynamo Kyiv.
He was voted the Cherries supporters' player of the season for the 2023-24 campaign which saw Andoni Iraola's team surpass the club's highest Premier League points total for the second campaign running.
“I'm very happy to join Paris Saint-Germain, the best club in the world, with the best project,” the 22-year-old told the Ligue 1 club's website.
The Kiev-born centre-back, who has 49 international caps, becomes PSG's second signing of the summer transfer window after goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier who joined from Lille for €40m.
“I am a kid that is living his dream. Ever since I was small I wanted to play at the very highest level,” Chevalier said after signing. “I’m really delighted to be here. I will wear this shirt with passion and ambition.”
His arrival suggests that Gianluigi Donnarumma's days at PSG are over after the Italian keeper was left out of the squad to take on Premier League side Spurs.
Donnarumma was arguably the best goalkeeper in Europe last season, playing a key role in PSG's Uefa Champions League run that ended with a spectacular 5-0 thrashing of Inter Milan in the final.
But with one year left on his contract, he has so far refused to sign a new deal and PSG appear determined not to let him leave for free at the end of the season, as Kylian Mbappe did when he joined Real Madrid last summer.
PSG will be returning to competitive action for the first time since losing in the Fifa Club World Cup final to Chelsea.
Tottenham, meanwhile, head into the match having earned their spot by beating Premier League rivals Manchester United in the Europa League final.
Victory in Bilbao – which meant Spurs had ended a 17-year wait for silverware – was not enough to save manager Ange Postecoglou from the sack after a disastrous domestic campaign that saw them finish one spot above the relegation zone in 17th place.
The Australian was replaced by Thomas Frank who left London rivals Brentford after seven years in charge to become Tottenham's fourth permanent manager since June 2021.
And ahead of the Premier League opener at home to Burnley on Saturday, Frank's first competitive match sees them take on Luis Enrique's impressive young side.
The German coach insists he is ready to take on “the best team in Europe” at the Stadio Friuli in Udine.
“We're playing in a final; it's fantastic,” Frank told Uefa.com. “Hopefully we can use some of the experience we have from the last final that the team played against Manchester United.
“[Paris] are the best team in Europe. They won the treble and it looks like they are extremely strong in all 11 starting positions.
“It's a fantastic challenge to have in the first game but, of course, we believe in ourselves. We're going to a final and there will be one objective – try to win it. We don't see it as a test; we see it as two good teams against each other, and we want to win.”
With the likes of defender Kevin Dann (€25m from Lens), winger Mohammed Kudus (€63.8m from West Ham United) and striker Mathys Tel (€35m from Bayern Munich) already on board, Spurs are keen for further signings.
Reports on Tuesday suggest Crystal Palace winger Eberechi Eze is on their wishlist with Frank keen to strengthen his attacking options after James Maddison was ruled out for a majority of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
England international Eze, 27, scored 14 goals across all competitions for Palace last season, including the FA Cup final winner against Manchester City that sealed a first major trophy for the Eagles.
Brazilian winger Savinho, who started for City in their Wembley defeat to Palace, has also been linked with a move to the South London club.
MATCH INFO
Austria 2
Hinteregger (53'), Schopf (69')
Germany 1
Ozil (11')
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESmartCrowd%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiddiq%20Farid%20and%20Musfique%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20%2F%20PropTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24650%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%20institutional%20investors%20and%20notable%20angel%20investors%20(500%20MENA%2C%20Shurooq%2C%20Mada%2C%20Seedstar%2C%20Tricap)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
Travel distance: Limited
Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
Duration: Can linger for days
Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
Source: Can be carried from distant regions
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Main report
School uniforms report
Apple's%20Lockdown%20Mode%20at%20a%20glance
%3Cp%3EAt%20launch%2C%20Lockdown%20Mode%20will%20include%20the%20following%20protections%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMessages%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Most%20attachment%20types%20other%20than%20images%20are%20blocked.%20Some%20features%2C%20like%20link%20previews%2C%20are%20disabled%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWeb%20browsing%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Certain%20complex%20web%20technologies%2C%20like%20just-in-time%20JavaScript%20compilation%2C%20are%20disabled%20unless%20the%20user%20excludes%20a%20trusted%20site%20from%20Lockdown%20Mode%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EApple%20services%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EIncoming%20invitations%20and%20service%20requests%2C%20including%20FaceTime%20calls%2C%20are%20blocked%20if%20the%20user%20has%20not%20previously%20sent%20the%20initiator%20a%20call%20or%20request%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wired%20connections%20with%20a%20computer%20or%20accessory%20are%20blocked%20when%20an%20iPhone%20is%20locked%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConfigurations%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Configuration%20profiles%20cannot%20be%20installed%2C%20and%20the%20device%20cannot%20enroll%20into%20mobile%20device%20management%20while%20Lockdown%20Mode%20is%20on%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Mica
Director:Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
Jordan cabinet changes
In
Raed Mozafar Abu Al Saoud, Minister of Water and Irrigation
Dr Bassam Samir Al Talhouni, Minister of Justice
Majd Mohamed Shoueikeh, State Minister of Development of Foundation Performance
Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
Falah Abdalla Al Ammoush, Minister of Public Works and Housing
Basma Moussa Ishakat, Minister of Social Development
Dr Ghazi Monawar Al Zein, Minister of Health
Ibrahim Sobhi Alshahahede, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Environment
Dr Mohamed Suleiman Aburamman, Minister of Culture and Minister of Youth
Out
Dr Adel Issa Al Tawissi, Minister of High Education and Scientific Research
Hala Noaman “Basiso Lattouf”, Minister of Social Development
Dr Mahmud Yassin Al Sheyab, Minister of Health
Yahya Moussa Kasbi, Minister of Public Works and Housing
Nayef Hamidi Al Fayez, Minister of Environment
Majd Mohamed Shoueika, Minister of Public Sector Development
Khalid Moussa Al Huneifat, Minister of Agriculture
Dr Awad Abu Jarad Al Mushakiba, Minister of Justice
Mounir Moussa Ouwais, Minister of Water and Agriculture
Dr Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education
Mokarram Mustafa Al Kaysi, Minister of Youth
Basma Mohamed Al Nousour, Minister of Culture
Kareem Shaheen on Canada
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Ammar 808:
Maghreb United
Sofyann Ben Youssef
Glitterbeat
The Written World: How Literature Shaped History
Martin Puchner
Granta
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
If you go…
Emirates launched a new daily service to Mexico City this week, flying via Barcelona from Dh3,995.
Emirati citizens are among 67 nationalities who do not require a visa to Mexico. Entry is granted on arrival for stays of up to 180 days.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE APPRENTICE
Director: Ali Abbasi
Starring: Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 3/5
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft Toronto
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: Playstation 4, Xbox One, Windows
Release Date: April 10
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000