Tottenham Hotspur started pre-season on a good note with a 2-0 win over Reading on Saturday. Luka Vuskovic scored a goal and an assist on his maiden appearance for the club, while Mohammed Kudus also came on at half-time and provided an assist for the Lilywhites in what was also his first outing for the club since joining from West Ham. Mathys Tel did not feature at all.
Spurs’ two newest recruits have already made their mark whereas Tel promises to be a vital signing going forward as well. That said, Tottenham are continuing their search for newer players and Caught Offside has reported that Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi is the latest on their radar. The source adds that they are willing to pay £61 million to sign him.
Zabarnyi has been linked with Chelsea, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain too over the recent past, but Tottenham’s willingness to match Bournemouth’s asking price has placed them in pole position to sign him. The Blues and the Reds have not held formal talks for the player just yet, although PSG had an initial bid rejected and might come back with an improved offer soon.
Spurs don’t need Zabarnyi
Tottenham Hotspur have a very sought-after backline. Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are undisputed starters, whereas Kevin Danso and Radu Dragusin are fantastic options to have off the bench. Luka Vuskovic’s arrival this summer has further added to their options, so it is debatable whether or not they should spend close to £60 million on another central defender.
If anything, Spurs require another left back, whereas Illia Zabarnyi has predominantly featured in the heart of the backline for Bournemouth and never as a wide man in the back four. That said, the player also might not be too keen on joining the Europa League champions considering the wholesale competition in his preferred position.
Chelsea and Liverpool would be solid destinations for Zabarnyi, however, though both clubs are yet to formally declare their interest in signing him. Paris Saint-Germain could therefore fancy their chances of signing the Ukrainian international with an improved bid as they look for a younger option to replace their captain Marquinhos in the longer run.