PSG eyeing Celta Vigo defender Javi Rodríguez as Marquinhos' replacement. Zabarnyi's struggles force Paris to look elsewhere.
Paris Saint-Germain have not found the ideal replacement for Marquinhos, as Illya Zabarnyi is not at the expected level. The name of Javi Rodriguez, a 23-year-old Spanish centre-back, is being mentioned as a potential arrival at PSG.
At 32, Marquinhos knows that his legendary career at Paris is drawing to a close, but the Brazilian defender is still starting the season in a first-team role. Luis Campos brought in Illya Zabarnyi from Bournemouth to pull off this change of the guard.
But the Ukrainian defender is a real disappointment, and it takes some imagination to believe he could one day permanently replace Marquinhos. That is why Paris Saint-Germain is interested in Javi Rodriguez, the Spanish international defender from Celta Vigo.
The local outlet, Faro de Vigo, confirms that the European champions are interested in the 23-year-old, who shone with his club last season in the Europa League.
Paris Saint-Germain does not want to waste time and is ready to act before Tuesday at 8 p.m. (France time), when the transfer window closes.
At his age, Javi Rodriguez, developed at Vigo, has already played 89 professional matches, and Luis de la Fuente even kept him in the reserve group before La Roja won the 2026 World Cup.
According to Transfermarkt, Javi Rodriguez is valued at 18 million euros, with only two years left on his contract. A price that obviously doesn't scare PSG, which is not alone in the running. Faro de Vigo notes that several big European clubs are following the defender, but that Paris is unquestionably the biggest of them.
The Spanish media outlet claims that Luis Campos and Luis Enrique agree on the name of Javi Rodriguez. But while Paris officials have gathered information about the defender, and while the latter has not hidden that he would like to work with the PSG coach, the French capital club have not yet made an official offer to Celta Vigo. Paris Saint-Germain now have five days left to possibly wrap up the transfer if it wishes.
In other news, a pundit has warned PSG not to overhype Ferran Torres. His debut brace doesn't make him a leader yet, Walid Acherchour said.
“I find that Ferran Torres’ trajectory since his goal in the World Cup final is starting to take on proportions that are too big relative to the player he is,” said Acherchour, who does not want his goal in the World Cup final to suddenly make him a huge player.
"To hand the keys of PSG’s attack to Ferran Torres, you’ll have to show me the tape of certain matches that he’ll win for you the way Ousmane Dembele or Khvicha Kvaratskhelia have done. For now, I don’t have the footage,” the After Foot contributor added.
