A Premier League defender linked with a big move to Chelsea could in fact end up at Tottenham instead, according to reports.

The initial feeling was that Illia Zabarnyi, Bournemouth’s highly-rated and in-form Ukrainian centre-back, could be Stamford Bridge-bound.

This is because, per Caught Offside, despite the 22-year-old recently signing a new deal until 2029, a bid of £50 million (approx. $63.4 million) or higher would be enough for the Cherries to consider a sale.

The reports now suggest that Chelsea aren’t the only London club who are huge admirers of Zabarnyi, however.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have reportedly been tracking the young defender ‘for some time’ themselves, and could potentially be regarded as more of a guarantee of pitch time than the Blues, who frequently build a much larger squad with more intense competition for spots.

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The former Dynamo Kyiv player has been in excellent form, nonetheless, and the fact this is coming in the English top flight will assure more Premier League clubs — and perhaps also some high-end suitors elsewhere in Europe — that Zabarnyi is ready to step up.

That said, even if no other big clubs enter a race for his signature, Spurs would undeniably be in for a scrap.

Not only would Tottenham need to compete in an uphill battle against Chelsea’s superior recent history and stature, but there’s the fact that the West London team have established quite the reputation for utilising great young talent under Enzo Maresca.

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This is because they have extended the record for Premier League games at the start of a season without using a single player aged 28 or older, while also looking dead certs to break a two-decade record for youngest average squad age once the 2024/25 season is in the books.