Paris Saint-Germain sign Ukrainian defender Illia Zabarnyi
Illia Zabarnyi had an impressive 2024-2025 season in England with Premier League club Bournemouth
Bournemouth have now sold three of their first-choice defensive lineup from last season
Updated 12 August 2025
AFP
PARIS: European champions Paris Saint-Germain announced on Tuesday they have signed Ukrainian center-back Illia Zabarnyi from Premier League club Bournemouth.
“Paris Saint-Germain are excited to welcome Illia Zabarnyi,” PSG said in a statement, adding that he would be the first Ukrainian ever to play for the club.
Zabarnyi, 22, had an impressive 2024-2025 season in England and his arrival in the French capital is expected to put pressure on PSG’s Brazilian stalwart Marquinhos in central defense.
Bournemouth have now sold three of their first-choice defensive lineup from last season after Milos Kerkez moved to Premier League champions Liverpool and Dean Huijsen was transferred to Real Madrid.
Medvedev to face Griekspoor in bid for second Dubai title
Former world No. 1 Medvedev demolished top seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada in the semifinal
Despite an injury, unseeded Dutchman Griekspoor beat 5th-seed Andrey Rublev in the other semifinal
Updated 3 sec ago
Reuters, AP
DUBAI: Daniil Medvedev reached the Dubai Tennis Championships final on Friday and will face unseeded Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor as the Russian attempts to achieve something that has eluded him throughout his stellar career — winning the same tournament twice. Former world number one Medvedev demolished top seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4 6-2 in an 83-minute semifinal, setting up a title clash that could see him claim a second Dubai crown to go with his 2023 triumph. Medvedev, who has won 22 titles at 22 different tournaments, arrived in Dubai with a point to prove after early exits in Rotterdam and Doha. However, the third seed has been in scintillating form in Dubai, dispatching Shang Juncheng, Stan Wawrinka, Jenson Brooksby and Auger-Aliassime — all in straight sets. “It has been an amazing four matches, probably playing better and better each match, today being the best performance,” said Medvedev. “If I can put in an even better performance tomorrow, I will have my chances to win and that is what I am going to try to do.”
Griekspoor battles injury to beat Rublev Standing in his way will be Griekspoor, who continued his giant-killing run by beating fifth seed Andrey Rublev 7-5 7-6(6) in the other semifinal. The Dutchman denied the 2022 champion, who also finished runner-up the following year, another shot at the Dubai trophy, saving two set points in the second-set tiebreak. “No idea how I pulled off this one, I could barely walk at the end of the first set,” said Griekspoor, who took a medical timeout for treatment in the opening set. “He served extremely well. I got very lucky in the tiebreak to win it in two sets ... I landed with a serve and felt something in my hamstring. “If he had won the tiebreak, I don’t know if I would have continued.” It marked three consecutive top-20 wins for Griekspoor for the first time in his career after he beat second seed Alexander Bublik and Jakub Mensik en route to the final. Griekspoor, who has won three ATP 250 titles in his career, will be looking to add a first ATP 500 trophy to his collection when he faces Medvedev.
