Over the past few seasons, the lack of stability has become a problem for Chelsea and Todd Boehly.

Mauricio Pochettino was meant to be the man to help rebuild the club, but his exit means that they’re almost at square one again.

Luckily, after searching the market for a new manager, the Blues seem to have settled on making Enzo Maresca their new boss.

The Italian’s announcement is reportedly imminent, but let’s take a look at a player who could be joining him at Stamford Bridge very soon.

Chelsea’s search for a new defender

According to reports in Italy, Chelsea have “sent a proposal” to Fulham ace Tosin Adarabioyo.

The defender’s contract at Craven Cottage will expire this summer, which means plenty of clubs are keeping an eye on his situation.

The likes of Newcastle United and Manchester United are both interested in Adarabioyo due to the fact that his transfer would cost nothing.

However, the Blues believe that they’re in pole position to sign the 26-year-old, especially as the Cottagers are keen to bring Trevoh Chalobah on board.

Why Adarabioyo would be a great signing for Maresca

Despite missing the majority of the first half of the campaign through injury, Adarabioyo has certainly impressed enough to ensure that he’ll be playing for a top club next season.

The English defender has featured in 20 Premier League matches this season, starting 18 of those, mainly alongside Calvin Bassey.

Throughout these matches, the number four showcased that he has an extremely desirable profile for a centre-back, having the physicality, technical ability, and defensive security to excel.

If Adarabioyo were to join Chelsea this summer and play under Maresca, then his role would be to slot in at right centre back, the exact position that he’s played throughout his career.

Adarabioyo vs Chalobah 23/24 PL Stats
Stats	Adarabioyo	Disasi
Clean sheets	6	2
Touches (per game)	70.3	69
Passes completed (per game)	51.3	52.4
Tackles (per game)	1.1	1.2
Clearances (per game)	4	3.8
Aerial duels won (per game)	2.9	1.5
Interceptions (per game)	1.2	0.6
Via Sofascore

However, his instruction would be slightly different from what he’d previously been used to, due to the fact that the 44-year-old likes his right back to invert into midfield when in possession.

This demands that his right centre back in particular has to have the athleticism to be able to defend the wide areas and 1v1’s in the event of a counterattack, which the Fulham rock clearly can do given his tackles and how regularly he gets dribbled past.

Furthermore, it’s important that they’re not just comfortable in possession but also brave, whether that be progressing the ball via passing or carrying into space.

Luckily, it seems that the “incredible” former Manchester City prospect, as dubbed by journalist Zach Lowy, has the ability to perform those tasks with ease, given his touches and passes completed per game.

As well as that, Adarabaiyo stands at 6 foot 5, which makes him a huge asset to have when attacking and defending set pieces, as highlighted by the number of aerials he tends to win on average.

In truth, any free signing with quality and still the potential to progress is a steal that makes complete sense, even if they don’t end up becoming a consistent starter, and therefore, Chelsea must look to snap up Adarabioyo before another top side does.

No Jackson, £226m trio sign: Enzo Maresca's dream lineup at Chelsea

Chelsea are set for a busy summer with plenty of signings expected.

By
Tom Lever

May 29, 2024