Zanev was born in Gotse Delchev and joined the youth system of his hometown club Pirin at an early age.

[3] On the next day, Zanev signed for the Spanish Segunda División side on a season-long loan deal, with the club having the option to make the move permanent.

[4] On 26 August, he made his league debut in their 1–1 draw against Córdoba CF, but spent most of his time with Celta on the bench, making only three appearances.

[9] On 25 June 2018, following the bankruptcy of Amkar, he joined FC Yenisey Krasnoyarsk that was promoted for the first time into the Russian Premier League.

[13] After being overlooked for the Euro 2016 qualifiers, Zanev's good performances in the Russian Premier League saw him make a return to the national side for the 2018 World Cup qualification matches.