Tottenham’s big-spending summer could get even bigger, with reports linking the club to a £57 million-rated centre-back who once turned down a move to rivals Arsenal.
Having steered clear of relegation, Roberto De Zerbi has been quick to overhaul his squad, with Spurs already splashing out around £228 million on new faces. Sandro Tonali arrived in a club-record £100 million deal, eclipsing the £85 million paid for Matheus Fernandes just days before, while Jean-Paul Van Hecke joined from Brighton for £52 million.
Despite that outlay, Tottenham aren’t finished — defence remains a priority, especially with Cristian Romero having left for Atletico Madrid. TEAMtalk reports Spurs could now turn their attention to PSG’s Illia Zabarnyi, who may be open to a move this summer.
Zabarnyi had previously been tipped for a reunion with Andoni Iraola at Liverpool, but the Reds have since gone in a different direction, securing Barcelona’s Ronaldo Araujo instead — cooling that particular link. Chelsea, meanwhile, look to have covered their defensive needs by bringing in Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace, seemingly ruling them out of the race too.
That could leave the door open for Tottenham. Zabarnyi’s comfort on the ball would suit De Zerbi’s build-from-the-back approach, and he may already carry some goodwill among Spurs fans — the Ukrainian reportedly rebuffed Arsenal’s interest back in 2024, despite the Gunners having scouted him closely, including run-outs at Euro 2024. Instead, he signed a new deal at Bournemouth through 2029, citing his happiness with the club’s trajectory.
Zabarnyi joined Bournemouth from Dynamo Kyiv for around £24 million in January 2023, spending another year there before his switch to PSG, where he’s since racked up 38 appearances in all competitions. With Spurs still hunting for defensive reinforcements, a move for the £57m-rated Ukrainian could shape up to be one of the more interesting deals left in the window.
