Tottenham did have an interest in one Premier League defender, but he is now on his way to join a different club.
PSG were scared that Tottenham could hijack their Ilya Zabarnyi deal
Ilya Zabarnyi was fantastic for Bournemouth in the 2024/25 season.
The Ukraine international’s performances were often overshadowed by Dean Huijsen’s brilliance, but he was just as good as the now Real Madrid star.
After his excellent season under Andoni Iraola, a number of clubs had an eye on the 22-year-old centre-back.
TBR revealed in June that Liverpool and Chelsea both liked Zabarnyi, while in July, we broke the news that Tottenham had made an approach to sign Zabarnyi.
L’Equipe have now claimed that during negotiations, the decision-makers at PSG feared that Spurs or Newcastle United could hijack their move to sign the Bournemouth defender.
However, Zabarnyi had made up his mind. He had no interest in joining Tottenham or Newcastle – he only wanted to join PSG this summer.
TBR confirmed that PSG are closing in on signing Zabarnyi for a fee close to €65 million (£56.3m) in the coming days.
Tottenham are at risk of more injuries
Frank’s system doesn’t demand the same kind of intensity that Tottenham players were forced to deliver under Ange Postecoglou last season.
However, the North Londoners will play more intense games in the upcoming campaign because they will be in the Champions League.
Takai is the only new defender to arrive at Hotspur Way this summer. He is currently injured, as is Radu Dragusin, who has been out for months.
Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven’s injury history is not great either, which leaves just Kevin Danso and young Luka Vuskovic.
Entering the new season with only these options is far from ideal. Making the likes of Romero and Van de Ven play every game will increase the risk of injuries, and Spurs could end up in the same situation that they were in last season.
That would be a disaster.
Opinion
Tottenham fans all notice the same thing about Son Heung-min after his MLS debut for LAFC
Former Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min made his first appearance for LAFC in a 2-2 draw with Chicago Fire in the MLS.
Son joined LAFC in a deal worth around £20m from Tottenham after the two parties mutually agreed to part ways following 10 years together.
Tottenham were reluctant to sell Son, but eventually agreed to grant the 33-year-old his wish of a move to the MLS. John Thorrington, LAFC co-president, hailed Tottenham during negotiations for Son, with the clubs reaching a ‘win-win’ agreement.
The South Korean legend was quick to make an impression at his new home as he left Spurs supporters in agreement after watching his debut.
Tottenham fans impressed by Son Heung-min’s speed
Tottenham Hotspur fans were impressed by Son Heung-min’s speed against LAFC, a quality that he didn’t get to showcase often enough for the Lilywhites last season.
The winger made a strong start to life in Los Angeles as he was sent racing through on goal and was taken out for a penalty.
Son’s performances were questioned for large parts of last season, as the veteran struggled to reach the same heights he hit throughout his Spurs career.
During his decision to leave, Son accepted that his best years were behind him, and he didn’t want to become a burden for the team, despite Thomas Frank being open to keeping him.
Now, of course, there is a difference in quality between the MLS and the Premier League, but Son showed he still has incredible pace, which is likely to cause mayhem in his new league.
After watching his debut for the MLS side, Tottenham fans took to X to share their thoughts on the attacker’s performance.
One Tottenham fan claimed: “I’m willing to watch MLS just to see Son look like he’s 25 again. Beautiful.”
“Sonny is still lightning fast in the game earlier, and he’s 33,” another added.
An LAFC fan added their thoughts on Son’s debut: “His movement, speed already makes us so much more dynamic. Denis is going have to learn to defer to him more and link up rather than take defenders on 1v1 so much, but I’m confident they’ll adjust.”
Finally, another supporter stated: “What a burst of pace from Sonny! Glad to see him play the nine role for LAFC. Give him minimal defensive duties and lots of space to run, and he will wreak havoc.”
Tottenham need to replace Son, and their search for a new left winger will soon need to accelerate with just 22 days until the transfer deadline.
Currently, Mathys Tel, Wilson Odobert and Richarlison are expected to fight it out for a place on the left side of Frank’s attack.
Son Heung-min reacts to his MLS debut for LAFC
Son admitted that he was ‘very grateful’ for the opportunity to make his MLS debut for LAFC following weeks of discussions about the move.
The former Spurs star came close to making it the perfect debut by scoring as he came so close to scoring a winning goal in the final moments of the match
Speaking after his MLS debut, Son said: “I just finished my debut, it feels amazing and I am grateful that I have this opportunity, I’m disappointed not to get the three points, but I mean the fans were outstanding and I can’t wait for the next match.”
After watching just how sharp he looked against Chicago’s defence, the forward could be set for an exciting season in the States.
