Vyacheslav Churko named the best Ukrainian central defender

The former midfielder of FC Kharkiv Vyacheslav Churko expressed admiration for the game of Arseniy Batagov. He considers him the best center-back in the country who should play for the national team.

Who is the best center-back in Ukraine?

The former midfielder of Zorya Luhansk and FC Kharkiv Vyacheslav Churko shared his thoughts on Ukrainian defenders. In an interview on the YouTube channel "TaToTake," the midfielder named the player who impresses him the most.

According to Churko, the best Ukrainian central defender at the moment is the Trabzonspor legionnaire Arseniy Batagov, who should have been playing for the national team for a long time.

What impresses Churko about Batagov?

Churko highlighted the unique playing characteristics of his former Zorya teammate, emphasizing his ability to start attacks and make long passes to sharpen the game.

"For me, honestly speaking, he is the best central defender. Arseniy Batagov. It's very surprising [that he hasn't been called up yet]. In my opinion, he should have been playing for a couple of years already."

The midfielder stated that Batagov has an insane level at the beginning of attacks and a luxurious first pass, even surpassing the young talent of Dynamo Taras Mykhavko.

"In terms of qualities, the start of the attack by Batagov is a completely different level. I think that with such a first pass like his, somewhere near him, probably Mykhavko, but still Batagov - he didn't just go to Trabzonspor for nothing and is playing very well there now."

Churko also noted Batagov's ability to deliver luxurious diagonal passes over long distances, mentioning Shakhtar legends Dmytro Chygrinskiy and Yaroslav Rakitskiy.

"He enters the space. He always has a ready decision to give a diagonal to the other half. And his diagonals, well, not like Rakitskiy and Chygrinskiy, but still very decent."

How does Arseniy play for Trabzonspor?

Batagov played 39 matches together with Churko for Zorya Luhansk from 2022 to 2024, scoring one goal. In the summer of 2024, Arseniy moved to Trabzonspor for 1.83 million euros.

As part of the Turkish club, the Ukrainian has already played 53 games, scoring three goals and providing four assists. Currently, Batagov is recovering from a serious injury. It was reported that Trabzonspor may suspend his contract.