AFC Bournemouth have been one of the busier teams on transfer deadline day as they complete the transfer of highly-rated Dynamo Kyiv centre-back Illia Zabarnyi.
The Ukraine international joins the Cherries on a five-and-a-half-year deal for a fee reported to be in the region of £24 million.
AFC Bournemouth Complete Signing of Dynamo Kyiv’s Illia Zabarnyi
Welcome, Illia 😍
We're delighted to complete the signing of Illia Zabarnyi from Dynamo Kyiv 📝
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) January 31, 2023
‘Koulibaly-esque’
Zabarnyi is highly-rated and could prove to be quite the coup for Bournemouth as the central defender was previously linked with a move to Chelsea. The 20-year-old arrives on the South Coast with experience that belies his age. He became a key player for his hometown club, Dynamo Kyiv, making 84 appearances for the senior team since emerging from their youth ranks, as well as becoming the second youngest-ever player to earn a senior cap for the Ukrainian national team.
The 6’ 2” centre back was has since gone on to receive 24 caps in total for his country even playing in every minute of the nation’s Euro 2020 campaign. Bournemouth will be hoping that the “Koulibaly-esque wonderkid” can live up to his billing and help improve the Premier League’s worst defence as they look to secure their Premier League status for another season.
Busy Window for the Cherries
Zabarnyi joins Bournemouth along with Uruguay full-back Matias Vina, who joined on loan from AS Roma earlier on deadline day. The South Coast club also completed deals for Antonie Semenyo from Bristol City, Goalkeeper Darren Randolph on a free transfer from West Ham, as well as winger Dango Ouattara from French outfit FC Lorient.
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The Cherries are also close to completing a move for Sassuolo and Ivory Coast midfielder Hamed Traore, with the player reportedly currently undergoing a medical for the club. Manager Gary O’Neil will be hoping thatr the new additions can help improve his team’s standing in the Premier League as they currently find themselves in 18th and in danger of relegation.
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