Out-of-favour Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo is ready to leave the West London club to join Aston Villa this summer.
According to a report by Pete O’Rourke on Football Insider, Tosin Adarabioyo is also the subject of interest from Benfica. The Primeira Liga giants are keen on bolstering their defensive unit by signing a centre-back in the final days of the ongoing transfer window, and they have their sights set on the 28-year-old Chelsea defender.
However, Pete O’Rourke has revealed that Adarabioyo is leaning towards Aston Villa as his preferred destination, as he wants to remain in the Premier League and play UEFA Champions League football with the West Midlands club.
Tosin Adarabioyo and his Chelsea career so far
Tosin Adarabioyo has had to bide his time for regular action 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.
While the English defender has made over 50 appearances for Chelsea thus far while amassing over 4,500 minutes of game time, he has not been a regular starter for the Blues. With Chelsea going up to nearly a dozen centre-backs in the squad after signing Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace, Adarabioyo’s situation devolved further, though the West Londoners have offloaded a few centre-backs.
What next?
Aston Villa’s interest in Tosin Adarabioyo makes logical sense. The Villans have been in a spot of bother over the state of their central defensive unit, as Ezri Konsa has joined Arsenal. Additionally, Tyrone Mings and Victor Lindelof are on the wrong side of 30 and approaching the twilight of their careers. So, it behoves Aston Villa to sign at least one centre-back in the final days of the summer transfer window.
As for Benfica, the Primeira Liga giants have embarked on a squad revamp since appointing Marco Silva as their new head coach. While the Eagles have signed multiple centre-backs this summer, they need to fill Antonio Silva’s void in the central defensive unit. The Chelsea defender has thus emerged as a viable target for Benfica.
However, with the Englishman leaning towards moving across the Premier League, Benfica must look elsewhere for a new centre-back. The 28-year-old has extensive Premier League experience and should not take long to settle down at Aston Villa. Aston Villa will be pleased by his willingness to join the West Midlands club, as they push for Adarabioyo’s signing in the final days of the transfer window.