Tottenham and PSG want to sign Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi in the summer
Tottenham Hotspur’s defensive frailties have been one of the defining issues of their disastrous campaign. Conceding 57 goals in the Premier League and managing just two clean sheets at home underlines a glaring lack of stability at the back. It’s no surprise that the club finds itself languishing in the bottom half of the table, with Ange Postecoglou facing growing scrutiny over his inability to deliver consistent results.
To make matters worse, Spurs have been ravaged by injuries all season, particularly in central defence. Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, arguably the first-choice pairing, have both been in and out with fitness problems, while back-up Radu Dragusin’s ACL injury has only deepened the crisis. As a result, Postecoglou has had to rely on a makeshift, inexperienced backline for large spells of the season, something that has clearly cost them both points and momentum.
January signing Kevin Danso also missed two months of football immediately after joining the club. The RC Lens loanee suffered an injury as soon as he joined Spurs. This has forced Ange Postecoglou to trust the youth and rely on inexperienced players to carve out positive results against tough opposition.
Tottenham want to sign Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi
It is an open secret that Tottenham are in the market to sign a centre-back. The Lilywhites are expecting massive changes in the squad in the summer. Cristian Romero is linked with a move to Atletico Madrid and it is likely that the Argentina international will head for pastures new. Daniel Levy is aiming to bring in a reliable centre-back as Romero’s replacement in the summer.
Spurs are linked with a move to sign Illia Zabarnyi from Bournemouth. The Cherries have set a price tag of £50 million for the defender. The Ukraine international signed a contract extension until 2029 earlier in the season. However, the South Coast club are willing to let the 22-year-old leave if a suitable offer arrives.
Tottenham are not the only ones that are willing to sign the centre-back. As per Sky Sports Switzerland, PSG have now entered the race to sign the Bournemouth defender. The Paris-based club are expecting Milan Skriniar to leave the club in the summer, and believe that Zabarnyi would be the ideal replacement to sign.
The Lilywhites will need to act quickly if they want to sign the Bournemouth centre-back for next season. Daniel Levy wants to sign a defender who has the potential to become a world-class player in the future. Illia Zabarnyi fits that criterion, and fans will hope that Levy acts quickly to land the Ukraine international at N17.
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But there is also a possibility that the Bournemouth defender would choose to go to PSG. In that case, the North London club needs to keep a backup option ready. Spurs are also negotiating a deal for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi and believe that the England international would be a perfect fit under Ange Postecoglou.