Squeezed out of Chelsea’s crowded defensive plans, Tosin Adarabioyo is edging toward an exit this month, with Benfica the frontrunner and a familiar face in the Premier League also in the picture.
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Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo, who remains eligible to represent Nigeria at senior level, is inching closer to a move away from Stamford Bridge this month, with Portuguese side Benfica emerging as the leading destination in a deal worth around £15 million.
The 28-year-old centre-back has become surplus to requirements under new Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso, opening the door to interest from Benfica, who could offer him a route into this season’s UEFA Europa League as well as regular first-team football.
A Familiar Face Also In The Frame
Alongside the Benfica interest, Adarabioyo could also have the option of staying in the Premier League through a reunion with Marco Silva, his former manager during a productive spell at Fulham, where the pair worked together before his 2024 move to Chelsea. Whether that familiarity proves tempting enough to keep him in England instead of moving to Portugal remains to be seen.
According to the BBC, Chelsea are ready to let Adarabioyo leave before the transfer window closes after he struggled to command a regular starting role across two seasons at the club. Alonso has already brought in Maxence Lacroix to strengthen his defence, with Valentin Barco, Pep Chavarria and Marco Palestra also arriving this summer. With nine senior central defenders now on Chelsea’s books, Alonso has said publicly that he wants to trim that number down to four or five, leaving Adarabioyo’s path to game time increasingly narrow. He still has two years left on his contract, meaning Chelsea will be looking for a sizeable fee, with interest also reported from an unnamed Premier League club.
A Career Built Through Loans And A Title Run
Adarabioyo came through Manchester City’s academy from the age of five but managed only a handful of first team appearances before loan spells at West Bromwich Albion and Blackburn Rovers. He found his feet after a permanent move to Fulham in 2020, making 132 appearances and helping the Cottagers win the Championship title in 2021/22, form that eventually earned him a free transfer to Chelsea in 2024.
📌 Did You Know?
- Despite being born and developed in England’s youth system, Adarabioyo remains eligible to switch allegiance to Nigeria, and the NFF has previously made efforts to convince him to do so.
- He represented England at Under-16 through Under-19 level but has never earned a senior England cap, which keeps the door open for a Super Eagles switch under FIFA eligibility rules.
- Adarabioyo has already won major honours with Chelsea, including the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup, both in 2025.
- He became the then youngest player to start a Champions League match for Manchester City before his path to regular football took him through two separate loan spells.
- Standing at 1.96m (6ft 5in), Adarabioyo is known for his composure on the ball as much as his physical presence at the back.
- Xabi Alonso’s stated goal of trimming Chelsea’s defensive options down to four or five players reflects a broader squad overhaul since his appointment as head coach.
- Benfica’s push for continental football this season, including a place in the Europa League, adds extra appeal to a move that would also reunite Adarabioyo with regular first team competitive football.
