Sources: Bournemouth £20m star Illia Zabarnyi ruled out until April in crushing blow
Bournemouth’s January signing Illia Zabarnyi has been ruled out until April with a foot injury, sources have told Football Insider.
The centre-back, 20, has yet to make his debut for the Cherries after joining from Dynamo Kyiv on transfer deadline day for £20million last month.
The Ukraine international is understood to have had scans on the foot injury and it is expected to sideline him for at least another month.
The news is a major blow for Cherries boss Gary O’Neil as he looks to have his best players available for their relegation survival run-in.
The centre-back made 25 appearances for Kyiv before joining Bournemouth, including in both the Champions League qualifiers and the Europa League.
O’Neil’s side are currently 17th in the Premier League, just one point clear of the relegation zone and only three points ahead of bottom of the table Southampton.
The Cherries have won just one of their last five games and have amassed 21 points from 23 games.
Things are only set to get tougher for O’Neil whose side face Man City, Arsenal and then Liverpool in their next three matches.
Current central defensive options include Marcos Senesi, Lloyd Kelly, Chris Mepham and Jack Stephens.
Senesi and Stephens have been O’Neil’s preferred pairing at the back in recent games.
In total, Bournemouth have conceded 44 goals this season in the Premier League which works out at a goal every 47 minutes.
They have kept five clean sheets in the 23 games they have played this season, only one of which came away from home.
In other news, an ex-Premier League referee hits out at Bournemouth ‘scandal’ as Dango Ouattara controversy analysed.