EXCLUSIVE with Graeme Bailey
Chelsea have been much-improved this season under Enzo Maresca.
The Blues are comfortably in the top four as things stand, and they could still kick on to become title contenders
However, there are a few areas of the squad that need shoring up if the west London club are to kick on.
Ian Wright recently said Chelsea need a new centre-back, and, luckily, the Blues are trying to address that situation.
Indeed, Chelsea scouted one of the Premier League’s most promising centre-backs this week.
Illya Zabarnyi of Ukraine during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Ukraine and Belgium at Stuttgart Arena on June 26, 2024 in Stuttgart,...
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
Chelsea scouts left impressed by Ilya Zabarnyi
TBR Football can reveal that Chelsea checked on Bournemouth defender Ilya Zabarnyi on Thursday evening as The Cherries beat Tottenham Hotspur.
The Blues are in the market for central defender reinforcements in 2025 as they are understood to be unconvinced by their options after first choice pair Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana.
As such, Chelsea have been doing their work on other possibilities which have included watching Benfica pair Tomas Araujo and Antonio Silva, RB Leipzig star Castello Lukeba, Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi and Lens’ Abdukodir Khusanov in recent weeks.
Chelsea also have a long-standing interest in Barcelona pair Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde, but they are making sure they have a clear picture of the best options available and that includes Premier League candidates.
We can reveal that Ukraine defender Zabarnyi is also on Chelsea’s radar.
They have been tracking the 22-year-old since before he moved to the Vitality Stadium for £20m in 2023.
Zabarnyi is one of a number of Bournemouth players who are shining under Andoni Iraola and Chelsea are paying close attention.
Chelsea have a good relations with Bournemouth following the summer deal which saw Kepa move on-loan and they are in attendance regularly watching their Spanish property, but they have taken the chance to assess Zabarnyi and TBR Football is told they have been impressed with the Ukraine international.
Ilya Zabarnyi stats against Tottenham
Chelsea were impressed by Zabarnyi’s performance against Tottenham this week, and for good reason.
Bournemouth were solid against Spurs on Thursday in their 1-0 win, and Zabarnyi was a standout performer in this game.
Zabarnyi barely put a foot wrong in the match, and the stats show case this.
Ilya Zabarnyi stats against Tottenham
Goals conceded 0
Interceptions 3
Clearances 3
Accurate long balls 3
Zabarnyi wasn’t necessarily all-action against Spurs, but he read the game brilliantly, with three interceptions on the night.
The Ukrainian is a young man with bags of potential, and it feels as though it may be a matter of time before a big club comes calling.
Zabarnyi was strongly linked to Tottenham before his move to Bournemouth. Ironically, it’s the defender’s performance against Spurs that left Chelsea scouts impressed.
Chelsea are well-positioned to do a deal with Bournemouth after cultivating a good relationship over the summer while concluding the loan deal for Kepa.
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