BOSS Andoni Iraola labelled Illia Zabarnyi as “very mature for his age”, adding how he “has evolved incredibly this season”.

Ukraine international Zabarnyi has played all 2,880 minutes of Cherries’ 32 Premier League matches this season, the only player in the squad to do so.

The 21-year-old, who joined Cherries from Dynamo Kyiv for around £24million in January 2023, scored his first top-flight goal in the recent 4-3 win over Luton Town.

Discussing the centre-back’s fine form, Iraola told the Daily Echo: “Zaba is 21, but if you see the number of games he has played with the national team, in European competitions, in the Premier League, probably it is not normal for someone who is 21.

“I think he is very mature for his age.

“He is someone that has evolved incredibly this season.

“He made some mistakes at the beginning of the season, something very normal.

“His performances lately have been, for me, very, very, very good.”