Out-of-favour Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo is on the verge of joining Tottenham Hotspur on a permanent deal.
According to an update from reputed Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea have an agreement over a deal worth £7 million plus add-ons. The Lilywhites have been keen on reinforcing their defensive unit by signing a centre-back, and they are now on the cusp of signing the 28-year-old Chelsea defender.
Per Fabrizio Romano, Adarabioyo has also approved the move, having reached an agreement on personal terms with the North London club. Meanwhile, according to a report by David Ornstein and Jack Pitt-Brooke for The Athletic, the Englishman has permission to undergo his medical tests with Tottenham.
Tosin Adarabioyo and his Chelsea career so far
Tosin Adarabioyo has experienced an unsatisfactory spell since joining Chelsea in a Bosman move in July 2024 after running down his contract with Fulham. While the 28-year-old was the West London club’s first summer signing ahead of the 2024/25 season, he has never been an undisputed first-choice starter since moving to Stamford Bridge.
The English defender has made over 50 appearances for Chelsea thus far while amassing over 4,500 minutes of game time. However, he has not been a regular starter for the Blues. With Chelsea adding to the central defensive unit by signing Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace earlier this summer, Adarabioyo’s situation worsened further, even though the West Londoners have offloaded a few centre-backs.
Another move across London beckons
Recent reports have linked Adarabioyo with several well-known clubs, including Aston Villa and SL Benfica. Yet Tottenham has moved decisively to secure his signature, wrapping up negotiations with their local rivals ahead of the deadline.
Tottenham’s pursuit of the former Fulham centre-back is justified despite recent acquisitions of Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi. With Kevin Danso pushing to join Sunderland, the North London outfit faced an unexpected gap in defensive depth. With Danso exiting on loan, Adarabioyo provides the cover Tottenham requires, an experienced option to complement the new signings and stabilise their rearguard.
Per reports this week, Danso is on the verge of joining Sunderland on a season-long loan deal. With Adarabioyo agreeing to join Tottenham, the Austrian international can proceed with his move to the Stadium of Light. Move to Tottenham now rests on a successful medical.
