Arsenal want PL ace to take Rice to the next level

With Euro 2024 over, all eyes and attention have turned to the 2024/25 Premier League campaign which starts in less than four weeks.

All sides will be aiming to build on last season, with Arsenal arguably looking to build on the bottom line more than any other team in England's top flight.

Mikel Arteta's side finished behind champions Manchester City for the second campaign in a row, with all Gunners fans hoping they can go one better and take the Premier League title.

The Spaniard has overseen a remarkable turnaround at the Emirates, but the former club captain is still looking to enter the transfer market to give his side the best chance of ending their 20-year league winless drought.

Since the window opened, the Gunners have been linked with various talents from around the world, and the Premier League has recently been thrown into the game.

Arsenal are interested in signing the £45m Premier League ace

According to Caught Offside, Arsenal are monitoring Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi and are considering bringing him to the Emirates this summer.

The 21-year-old Ukrainian joined the Cherries for £20m in the January transfer window in 2023, and has quickly impressed in the Premier League, making 47 appearances for Andoni Iraola's side.

The report claims that although they are reluctant to lose the boy, Bournemouth could be tempted to offload the defender if they can get a bid in the region of £40-45m for his signature.

The links could be surprising, with Arsenal strongly linked with signing Italian star Riccardo Calafiori.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano recently confirmed that the club are closing in on a deal to sign the Bologna talent, with the 22-year-old having already agreed to join Arteta's side. Another update from David Ornstein revealed that the initiative is now “growing”.

There is no decision on whether the two players will leave this summer, with Zabarnyi producing key figures that could allow Arsenal to start reaching the next level during the upcoming campaign.

Why Zabarnyi would allow Declan Rice to reach the next level

After moving to north London for £105m from West Ham United last summer, midfielder Declan Rice has made an immediate impact at the Emirates – looking to make a profit despite his stellar transfer fee.

The 25-year-old has registered a total of seven goals and eight assists in his 38 Premier League outings, playing an excellent, box-to-box role in Arteta's current system.

Although Zabarnyi is a full-back, he could allow the Englishman to reach a higher level in north London, and he could even add to his impressive contributions from last season.

The “captivating” Ukrainian, as talent scout Antonio Mango called him, dominated at the back for Bournemouth, averaging 1.6 tackles and two aerial wins in 90.

However, it's his possession stats that have caught the eye, many of which allow Rice to be more successful.

He averaged 49 out of 90 passes last season, with an accuracy rate of 82%, with three of his attempts going forward – allowing the midfielder to showcase his excellent ability to create chances for the Gunners' front line.

Zabarnyi also likes to get out from the back, averaging 0.7 continuous balls per 90, which shows he is comfortable with the ball at his feet – an important quality needed to fit into Arteta's system.

While recruitment will undoubtedly focus on Calafiori this summer, Zabarnyi will improve Arteta's defensive tactics at the Emirates, while freeing up the likes of Rice in front of him to go forward at will.

His impressive football skills could allow Rice to progress despite his impressive start to life in north London and will give the club a boost in their quest to end their long-awaited league title drought.