With Ezri Konsa closing in on an Arsenal move, Aston Villa are looking at Chelsea’s Tosin Adarabioyo as one option to fill the defensive gap he leaves behind.
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Aston Villa have added Nigeria-eligible defender Tosin Adarabioyo to their list of transfer targets, alongside AC Milan’s Fikayo Tomori, Complete Sports reports.
Both are being considered as potential replacements for Ezri Konsa, who is closing in on a move to Arsenal in a deal reportedly worth in excess of £50 million, with Konsa set to undergo a medical at his new club on Thursday.
A Chelsea Future In Doubt
Adarabioyo’s situation at Chelsea has grown increasingly uncertain. The 28 year old has been stripped of his number 4 shirt, which has since been handed to new signing Valentin Barco, and now wears the number 38 instead, a symbolic signal of his standing at the club. He joined Chelsea from Fulham on a free transfer in 2024, but a season disrupted by hamstring and calf injuries limited him to 16 Premier League appearances last term. With less than two years left on his contract, Chelsea appear increasingly open to letting him leave, having already been linked with Portuguese side Benfica earlier this summer.
Tomori Also In The Frame
Villa are also weighing up a move for Tomori, who has been transfer listed by AC Milan after entering the final year of his contract there. A Chelsea academy graduate, Tomori made 17 Premier League appearances for the Blues before joining Milan in 2021, where he has since won a Serie A title and an Italian Super Cup. He has also earned six caps for England.
A Position Of Need For Emery
A new centre back is a clear priority for Villa boss Unai Emery, who would be left with just Pau Torres, Victor Lindelof and Tyrone Mings as recognised central defenders once Konsa’s exit is confirmed.
📌 Did You Know?
- Adarabioyo remains eligible to represent Nigeria at senior level, despite coming through England’s youth international pathway up to Under-19 level.
- He has already won major honours at Chelsea, including the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup, both in 2025.
- Adarabioyo made 132 appearances for Fulham and helped the club win the Championship title in 2021/22 before his move to Chelsea.
- Ezri Konsa’s reported £50 million-plus move to Arsenal would represent a major statement in Aston Villa’s defensive rebuild this summer.
- Fikayo Tomori’s Serie A title with Milan came during the 2021/22 season, in his first full campaign in Italy after his loan spell there.
- Standing at 1.96m, Adarabioyo is known as much for his composure in possession as his physical presence at the back.
