West Ham join Man Utd in race for 'nightmare' Fulham transfer

West Ham are the latest club to be linked with a summer swoop for highly-rated Fulham centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo on a free transfer.

The 26-year-old's deal at Craven Cottage is set to expire this summer and the player and club are yet to come to an agreement on an extension. It means that the defender could exit Fulham without the West London club receiving a transfer fee.

That would be nothing short of a nightmare situation for the Cottagers. Not only is Tosin widely regarded as their top centre-back and very difficult to replace, but the club would not even benefit financially from his departure.

Football Insider reports that West Ham have 'joined the race' for the player with space for improvement in the position at the London Stadium. Konstantinos Mavropanos is fast making one of the roles his own but there remain questions over other options in Kurt Zouma, Nayef Aguerd and Angelo Ogbonna, with the latter's deal set to expire this summer.

Adarabioyo's physicality and comfort with the ball at his feet is a huge attraction for Premier League clubs with LondonWorld reporting last week that the defender had been named as a target by new Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

In recent months, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Monaco and AC Milan have all also been named as interested suitors. Tosin has been at Fulham since 2020, having arrived for around £2 million from Manchester City.

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The Cityzens were also believed to have included a 20 per cent sell on clause in the deal, but obviously would not benefit from financial windfall should Tosin leave on a free transfer this summer.

Speaking about the contract situation, Fulham boss Marco Silva said: “The reality, and what I can say to you now, [is] we are speaking with them and their agents. What we try to do is to have them with us. Our ambition, and what we want, is to have them with us next season again.”