Enzo Maresca “huge fan” of £50m star with 43 senior caps already at 22 | OneFootball

Caughtoffside today have an exclusive rumour on their hands connecting Chelsea with up and coming central defender Ilya Zabarnyi of Bournemouth.

The Ukraine star just signed a new contract which keeps him at the club until 2029, but that won’t put off Chelsea if they decide he’s the man to take their defence to the next level.

“Sources” have informed the football transfer website that Tottenham have been tracking the player “for a while” and are without doubt front runners in this race. But with a solid selection of central defenders available, and a reported £50m price tag on Zabarnyi’s head, the Lilywhites could be priced out.

That leaves Chelsea in the mix: Enzo Maresca is said to be “a huge fan of the defender’s playing capabilities,” and ready to “make room for him in an ever-expanding Chelsea squad.”

Still just 22, Zabarnyi has settled in really well in the Premier League a year after moving from Dynamo Kyiv, and he’s already got a crazy 43 senior Ukraine caps to his name.

Ilyas Zabarnyi thanks the fans after leading Bournemouth to a win. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Spurs ready to pluck Zabarnyi from impressive Cherries – but Chelsea lurk

Teams that do unexpectedly well in the Premier League always tend to see their players linked with big money moves away, and that’s just what’s going on on the South Coast as Andoni Iraola’s impressive spell as Cherries boss goes on.

The attractive and effective football he has his team playing is making the players look good, and accordingly big offers are starting to come in for them. After buying Dominic Solanke last summer, Spurs look ready to come back for another taste, knowing that Bournemouth can’t compete in terms of what they’re offering.

Unlike in the Solanke deal however, this time they look to have some competition from Chelsea.