Fulham eye 'expendable' Chelsea outcast as Tosin Adarabioyo replacement

It is looking increasingly likely that Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo will no longer be a Cottager once the 2024/25 season kicks off with interest in the centre-back growing. The English 26-year-old is out of contract with Marco Silva’s side this summer and Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Newcastle all reportedly eyeing a move for the former Manchester City player, Silva will be forced to look for replacements when June comes around.

One name who has been linked with a move within west London is Chelsea’s Trevor Chalobah. Reports from TEAMtalk have indicated that Fulham have been strong admirers of the Blues 24-year-old and see him as a replacement for the potentially-departing Adarabioyo.

Chalobah missed much of the first half of the season due to injury which put off many clubs from signing him in January but the Craven Cottage side were not one of them. Bids are now expected to take place for the centre-back in the upcoming transfer window with the 24-year-old now finally accepting his longer term future in football will not lie with his boyhood club. Mauricio Pochettino has put the defender in the starting line-up for the past two Premier League games but this is understood to be a case of putting ‘him in the shop window’ rather than a sign he is part of any longer term plans.

As a product of the Chelsea academy, members of the board will view Chalobah as someone who can be sold for pure profit and with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules lingering, this will be a huge bonus for the Stamford Bridge side.

Chalobah has had interest from clubs around Europe, including Roma, Bayern Munich, Napoli and fellow Premier League sides Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest, but Fulham has remained the most attractive to him due to his family’s relationship with the side. The centre-back’s brother, Nathaniel, was at the Fulham youth academy and spent time playing with the first team between 2021 and 2023.

It had been reported that the 24-year-old England youth star had wanted to remain within European football, turning down a deal with Forest in order to keep this dream alive, but it would appear he is now relinquished such demands.