Newcastle United will reportedly look to sign 22-year-old Ukrainian international Illia Zabarnyi from fellow Premier League club Bournemouth in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by the i Paper, Illia Zabarnyi is the subject of interest from Newcastle United. The Hammers are scouring the market for a centre-back heading into the summer transfer window. So, they have set their sights on the 22-year-old Bournemouth defender.
Illia Zabarnyi and his Premier League progress
Illia Zabarnyi has established himself as one of the best young defenders in the Premier League since joining Bournemouth from Dynamo Kyiv in January 2023. A native of Kyiv, the youngster spent his formative years in his homeland and graduated from the youth division at Dynamo Kyiv.
The 22-year-old rose in prominence at his hometown club but has seen his stock soar during his spell with Bournemouth, coming leaps and bounds in the last two and a half years. Zabarnyi has been a mainstay at the back for Bournemouth during this period, turning out nearly 100 times while chipping in with one goal.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian defender’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several well-known clubs across Europe. Premier League bigwigs, in particular, have been keen on signing the highly-rated defender for a long time, with Newcastle United among the prospective suitors vying for his signature heading into the summer transfer window.
Move across the Premier League on the cards?
Newcastle United mulled over signing Illia Zabarnyi in the winter transfer window before the deal failed to see the light of day. The continued interest is understandable, considering Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles, and Dan Burn are on the wrong side of 30. In addition, Sven Botman has struggled with fitness issues this season.
So, several candidates, including Marc Guehi, have emerged on Newcastle United’s radar, with Zabayni also a viable target. The Bournemouth centre-back has considerable experience in the Premier League and should not take long to settle down at St. James’ Park.
However, with Dean Huijsen also commanding considerable interest from European bigwigs, it will be interesting to see if Bournemouth will sanction the departures of the two first-choice central defenders in the summer transfer window. Nevertheless, the 22-year-old Ukrainian international is an appealing target for Newcastle United.
