(Credit: Manh Tung - Breaking Media)

Alex Oakhill

Wed 8 October 2025 7:00, UK

Bournemouth always knew it was going to be a difficult summer transfer window, but in terms of the players they lost, it could not have gone much worse.

Andoni Iraola saw three of his back four from a record-breaking Premier League season depart, with Illia Zabarnyi, Milos Kerkez, and Dean Huijsen all moving on to pastures new.

Huisen’s departure to Real Madrid was arguably the least surprising of the three, but it was still a bitter blow to the south coast side, who lost one of the most exciting defenders in Europe.

Despite the exodus, Bournemouth are thriving in the Premier League this season, sitting just two points behind table-topping Arsenal, and there has been a surprise beneficiary from the summer fire-sale.

Marcos Senesi has stepped up for Bournemouth

There weren’t many people disappointed to see the emergence of Huijsen as a top-class centre-back last season, but Marcos Senesi would have likely felt a touch of jealousy each time he sank into his seat on the substitute bench.

Senesi actually started 11 of Bournemouth’s first 13 games in the 2024-25 campaign, before sustaining a quadriceps injury away to Wolves at the end of November which kept him out for four months.

By the time he returned at the end of March, Huijsen had attracted the attention of Real Madrid courtesy of his performances at left centre-back, and effectively secured himself a guaranteed spot in the Cherries starting lineup.

However, fast forward to this season and, bar Antoine Semenyo who is now commanding a price tag of £80million, Senesi has been Bournemouth’s most impressive player.

The Argentine defender has played every single minute in the Premier League for the Dorset outfit, filling the void left by Huijsen’s departure and lessening the damage of the summer sales.

Senesi is replicating Dean Huijsen’s creative style

In Iraola’s system, the centre-backs have a vital role to play in attacking build-up, which was one of the reasons Huijsen was able to showcase his ball-playing abilities last season.

Since the 20-year-old’s switch to Real Madrid, Senesi has taken up the creative mantle, controlling the speed and direction of Bournemouth’s advances into the opposition’s half.

As displayed in the south coast side’s recent 2-2 draw with Leeds United, Senesi is consistently making progressive passes that spark attacks for the Cherries, with his accuracy remaining at a high level despite the difficulty of the balls being played.

When you compare the stats between Huijsen’s 2024-25 campaign and Senesi’s start to the new season, the similarities are almost uncanny.

The pair effectively completed the same number of passes per 90, with Senesi having a slightly higher number of touches of the ball.

Senesi is actually even more direct than Huijsen was last term, with over 100 metres more of forward passing distance per 90 than his former teammate.

That increased risk does mean that the Argentine international’s overall pass accuracy is a touch lower than Huijsen’s, but the pair remain relatively well matched across a wide range of possession statistics.

Senesi’s creative abilities were highlighted during Bournemouth’s 1-0 win over Tottenham at the end of August, as the defender grabbed the assist for Evanilson’s fifth-minute winner in North London.

Picking up the ball 30 yards out, the 28-year-old was faced with all 11 Spurs players between him and the goal.

Senesi spotted the run of Evanilson in behind the Tottenham backline, and slotted an inch-perfect pass through the middle of the hosts’ defence.

The Brazilian striker latched onto the ball, and his deflected effort looped over Guglielmo Vicario and into the net.

Evanilson wheeled off to celebrate, but the goal was all down to the vision and technical ability of Senesi, who was able to step up and create something out of nothing for Iraola’s side.

Senesi has helped limit damage from Illia Zabarnyi sale

As well as losing their defensive playmaker in Huijsen, Bournemouth saw his former centre-back partner Zabarnyi leave to join Paris Saint-Germain over the summer.

The Ukrainian international was just as important in the Iraola system as Huijsen last season, if not even more crucial, often sweeping up at the back if the opposition broke through the Cherries’ high-press.

Bournemouth signed Bafode Diakite from Lille to play right centre-back, but while the Frenchman has been settling into life in the Premier League, it has fallen to Senesi to replicate Zabarnyi’s defensive capabilities.

Incredibly, Senesi is actually outperforming Zabarnyi in several key metrics, including tackles, interceptions and aerial duels, proving that the former Feyenoord man is just as crucial to Bournemouth defensively as he is going forward.

Zabarnyi’s most impressive trait last season was his recoveries, and Senesi is being beaten by the Ukraine international in that category, but he is not as far behind as you might think.

In their seven Premier League games so far, Bournemouth have kept three clean sheets already. Bearing in mind the Cherries only managed nine shutouts in the entirety of last season, it is not ridiculous to say their defence has actually improved despite all the departures, and Senesi has been the key.

Bournemouth have one major Senesi worry

One worry regarding Senesi and his current exceptional form on the south coast is his contract situation.

The Argentine has less than a year left on his current deal, and with the way he is currently playing, he will have a lot of suitors lining up to sign him on a free transfer.

Sources have told Football Insider that Bournemouth are desperate to keep hold of Senesi, and want to hold contract extension talks as soon as possible.

However, the Cherries are in an extremely vulnerable position with his current deal expiring at the end of the season, and a lot will depend on the player’s own wishes.

If Bournemouth continue to thrive and perform in the Premier League, then there is no reason why Senesi won’t commit his future to the Vitality Stadium.