Reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain have completed the signing of Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi in a deal worth €66m (£57m).
The Ukraine international has penned a five-year contract with the European champions, who paid an initial £54.5m plus £2.6m in performance-related add-ons.
Zabarnyi, 22, described PSG as “the best club in the world, with the best project” after sealing the move. He joined Bournemouth from Dynamo Kyiv in January 2023 and went on to make 86 appearances, playing a key role in defence and earning the 2023/24 Supporters’ Player of the Season award.
His departure marks Bournemouth’s third major defensive sale of the summer, following Dean Huijsen’s £50m switch to Real Madrid and Milos Kerkez’s £40m move to Liverpool.
The trio’s exits are set to bring the Cherries a significant profit, with Zabarnyi originally costing £24m, Huijsen £12.6m from Juventus last summer, and Kerkez £15.5m from AZ Alkmaar.
Bournemouth have already lined up a replacement, agreeing a £30m deal — potentially rising to £34m with add-ons — for Lille’s Bafodé Diakité. French left-back Adrien Truffert (£14.4m) has been brought in to fill Kerkez’s place, while the club continues its search for another central defender.
Sources inside Bournemouth say losing all three defenders was not part of the plan, with only one departure expected. However, the substantial fees proved too good to refuse, especially amid strong interest from top European clubs.
Manager Andoni Iraola has also strengthened elsewhere, bringing in goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic to replace Kepa Arrizabalaga, who joined Arsenal instead, and teenage forward Eli Junior Kroupi. Iraola is still targeting a striker to compete with Evanilson, as Enes Unal continues recovery from a serious knee injury.