BOURNEMOUTH have signed Football Manager wonderkid Illia Zabarnyi from Dynamo Kyiv.
And they announced his £24million signing with a clever video about the computer game.
Illia Zabarnyi arrives at Bournemouth with a big reputationAlan MacGregor Ewing
Zabarnyi, 20, arrives on the south coast with a big pedigree having represented Ukraine 24 times.
He also has a big reputation thanks to his virtual exploits on popular video game Football Manager.
Bournemouth announced the centre-back’s arrival with a video that showed them searching for “FM Legends” on the game.
The search returned Zabaryni’s name and the video then cut to the man himself who gave the camera a thumbs up and said: “Up the Cherries!”
The club also tweeted: “Hey @FootballManager – have you got any wonderkid suggestions? ”
Bournemouth chief executive Neill Blake told the club website: “We are absolutely delighted to bring Illia to the club and he arrives with a burgeoning CV.
“Despite only being 20, he has played at the highest level for club and country and has established himself as one of the most sought-after young defenders in the world.
“We are very much looking forward to seeing him continue his development with us and know he will be a valued and important member of our squad.”
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Zabarnyi is Bournemouth’s fifth January signing following the arrivals of following the arrivals of Dango Ouattara, Darren Randolph, Antoine Semenyo and Matías Viña.
He has signed a five-and-a-half-year deal at the Vitality Stadium.
The Cherries have also signed Ivory Coast midfielder Hamed Traore for an initial loan from Sassuolo that will become a five-year deal in the summer for £20m.