Nigeria-eligible defender Tosin Adarabioyo is on the brink of sealing a transfer to former Premier League champions Chelsea, Soccernet.ng reports.
Adarabioyo joined Fulham from Manchester in 2020, in a deal worth €1.95 million. And he has been important for the club since then, helping them gain promotion from the Championship to the Premier League in his second season.
He proved to be an important member of the team until last season, when coach Marco Silva started to ease him out after he refused to extend his contract. The 24-year-old made just 20 league appearances for Fulham last season.
Adarabioyo is now a free agent after his deal with Fulham expired at the end of the season. But the Manchester-born defender has not been short of admirers, as Chelsea and Newcastle United have been battling for his services. The Magpies were favorites to get Adarabioyo’s services, but it appears they have been overtaken.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are on the brink of signing Adarabioyo barring any last-minute changes. The deal could be completed in the following days, making him the club’s first signing under coach Enzo Maresca.
🚨🔵 EXCLUSIVE: Chelsea are closing in on deal to sign Tosin Adarabioyo, negotiations at final stages.
Newcastle have been working on Tosin deal for weeks but #CFC now clear favorites, cautious until it’s sealed.
Tosin to be first signing for Enzo Maresca, if all goes to plans. pic.twitter.com/G50wL6gwy3
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 1, 2024
Adarabioyo was born in England to Nigerian parents. Hence, he can represent any of the two countries at international level. The 24-year-old has already represented England at youth level, but he has not made an appearance for the senior team. Hence, he can still switch allegiance and play for Nigeria.