​'Starboy,' 'one of the best to wear the shirt,' 'better than Nathan Ake', and 'a joy to watch'; just some of the phrases which AFC Bournemouth fans have used this season to describe their Ukrainian starlet, Illia Zabarnyi.

A hybrid between the modern-day ball-playing central defender with the physical attributes of an old-school defender, Zabarnyi has all of the qualities you would typically associate with the world's elite.

While his first season on the south coast was not ideal, Illia Zabarnyi has come on leaps and bounds in the 2023/24 season to become a significant part of AFC Bournemouth's spine.

Zabarnyi has been crucial for Andoni Iraola this season, with the Ukrainian starting in all 31 fixtures and playing every minute for the Cherries so far this season in the Premier League.

  • Career Path

Illia Zabarnyi is a name that several football fans would have already been familiar with before his move to AFC Bournemouth in January 2023.

Zabarnyi began rising through the youth ranks of his hometown club, Dynamo Kyiv, where he spent four years in their academic ranks before making his senior debut.

The defender was promoted to Dynamo's senior squad in 2019 and was handed his debut on 11 September 2020, in a draw against Desna Chernihiv in the Ukrainian Premier League.

Zabarnyi was just 17 years old when he made his senior debut - entering the scene as a hot young prospect.

Due to age being 'on his side,' the Kyiv native was able to develop his game at the top level in competitions such as the Champions League and Europa League, coming up against teams such as Barcelona and Bayern Munich.​​​​

This early experience allowed the defender to mature and develop at a young age, with the media tipping him as a 'wunderkind.'

Zabarnyi's ability caught the attention of buyers early as the Ukrainian attracted the interest of Tottenham in the summer of 2022, as per Transfermarkt.

The Ukrainian got his big move to the Premier League in January 2023, completing a £22.5m deal and signing a five-and-a-half-year contract on the south coast.

  • For club and country

Along with his early success in his club career, Zabarnyi has also had a commendable international career for a 21-year-old.

A proud Ukrainian, Zabarnyi has represented his nation at senior and youth levels, making eight youth appearances at the U21 and U17 levels.

In October 2020, Zabarnyi was handed his senior debut in a friendly against reigning World Cup winners France.

Since then, the 21-year-old has been a stalwart in the Ukraine national team - making 34 appearances and scoring one goal for his country.

Looking towards the summer, Zabarnyi, after a phenomenal Premier League season, will be looking forward to this summer's UEFA Euro 2024 with Ukraine after their play-off win over Iceland.

  • Playing style

Zabarnyi is well-built and broad despite being a lanky defender who stands at 6ft 2in tall.

Despite his size and frame, the Ukrainian wall has a fantastic recovery pace that allows him to often keep up with the league's quickest players despite his sluggish initial burst of pace.

To partner his physical attributes, Zabarnyi also has the benefits of having a superb footballing brain. Due to this, the defender often finds himself in the perfect position to pick up interceptions and cover for his teammates.

During this Premier League season, Zabarnyi has often played in a duo with  Argentina international Marcos Senesi.

Within this duo, Senesi often takes the role of being the line-breaking 'quarterback' at centre back, spraying lofted ball forward to either flank or up to Dominic Solanke for the direct side of Andoni Iraola's tactical style.

Zabarnyi shows his impressive understanding of the game as he sits above 89% of players in the Premier League for shots blocked per 90 minutes, and averages 0.81 interceptions per 90. 

Comparatively, his counterpart takes the opposite role. 

Zabarnyi has fantastic calmness on the ball, allowing the Ukrainian to progress the ball by dribbling forward towards the midfield.

While the 21-year-old does not have the elite passing range of Marcos Senesi, often opting for medium-range passes out wide, Zabarnyi looks to switch the ball from left to right, looking for the aerial ability of Antoine Semenyo.

Similarly to Antoine Semenyo, the final strength of Bournemouth's defensive star we will look at is his aerial ability.

Due to his size and height, Zabarnyi is colossal in the air. The Ukrainian brute sits above 86% of Premier League players for aerial duels won per 90 and is crucial for the Bournemouth side when defending opposition crosses.

  • How far can he go?

When it comes to potential, Zabarnyi has it in abundance, and when it comes to his current ability, the 21-year-old seems to be more than comfortable playing in arguably the best league in the world.

Zabarnyi is a key cog in Andoni Iraola's AFC Bournemouth machine, and playing every possible minute of the current Premier League season cannot hurt the development of a 'wunderkind'.

There will likely be interest from Europe's elite this summer, testing the waters for the Ukrainian's services.

However, if Zabarnyi is happy on the south coast and stays for one more season of consistent top-flight football, he may be ready for a step up and the path to becoming one of Europe's truly elite defenders.