French journalist Julien Faure from So Foot shared his thoughts on the transfer of central defender Illia Zabarnyi to PSG.
Illia Zabarnyi“I watched a few Bournemouth matches last year, but I didn’t specifically follow Zabarnyi, so I can’t comment on all his qualities or strengths. However, what we hear in France is that he has a good attacking start from his own half. He also has a good pass, so he seems to fit well into Luis Enrique’s style of play. I’ve also heard that he is quite a strong player on the field and has good physical attributes.
Last year, PSG had a little rotation among central defenders, and he will add competition between Marquinhos and Pacho. There’s a general belief that he can displace Marquinhos from the starting lineup. Not immediately, but in two or three years, this could happen. The Brazilian is already over 30. He is closer to the end of his time at PSG.
Therefore, Zabarnyi’s arrival creates competition and will definitely make PSG’s defense better in the coming years. This is how we see his transfer in France. Plus, he has already played in the Premier League for a few years, so he’s coming from a strong league. He already has good experience.
I know he went through preseason training with Bournemouth, so he arrived in Paris in good shape. I think he will be ready quite soon. PSG’s first match of the championship is on Sunday against Nantes. I don’t think he will start — I’m almost sure of that.
Perhaps he will debut on Sunday, coming off the bench. Or next week when PSG will play at home against Angers on Friday, a club that is significantly lower in level. I think he will have a chance to play in both of those first matches.
The thing is that all the players from last season had a very long season with little rest, while he finished his season earlier. So I hope to see him on the field as soon as possible,” Faure said.
