Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), recently crowned back-to-back Champions League champions, is on the verge of a major transfer. The French giants are preparing to sign Russian midfielder Alexey Batrakov from Moscow's Lokomotiv.
Deal on the Home Stretch
According to Dmitry Cheltsov, the agent of the 20-year-old midfielder, negotiations between the Parisian management and the "Railwaymen" have progressed by 95%. The parties have already held more than ten rounds of discussions. Next week, PSG's sporting director, Luis Campos, will fly to Moscow personally to put the final seal on the deal.
The financial terms of the transfer look impressive: the transfer fee is estimated at 25 million euros, while Alexey Batrakov himself will receive a salary of 5–6 million euros per year. The only obstacle to signing the contract now could be a major force majeure event.
Toxic Atmosphere for the Ukrainian
The arrival of another Russian in the squad creates an extremely tense situation for Ukrainian defender Ilya Zabarnyi, who joined PSG in August of last year. Russian goalkeeper Matvey Safonov is already playing in the club's structure, and Batrakov's appearance only exacerbates the Ukrainian's position.
Zabarnyi clearly defined his civic stance from the very beginning. He publicly stated that he plays in the same team as representatives of the aggressor country solely due to professional obligations and fully supports the isolation of Russian sports.
Breach of Agreements
According to insiders, during negotiations regarding Zabarnyi's transfer, he set a strict condition: PSG had to sell Safonov. The Parisians signed a new goalkeeper, Luca Chevalier, but Safonov remained in the team. Moreover, he won the competition against the newcomer and established himself in the starting lineup, while Zabarnyi remains a rotation player.
Now, the status of Russians in the club has become more significant than that of the Ukrainian. The purchase of Batrakov indicates that PSG management is ignoring the defender's moral discomfort and continues to conduct active business with Moscow.
A Dilemma for Zabarnyi
Ilya Zabarnyi faces a difficult choice. Since PSG failed to fulfill its promise to clear the squad of players from the Russian Federation and instead increased their number, the Ukrainian must decide what is more important to him: endure the difficult coexistence for the sake of playing in the Champions League or, through his agents, pressure management and look for a new club.