We have another transfer deal closing, and in this case, it will be a very short distance, as Fulham central defender Tosin Adarabioyo will be making the 1.7 mile journey from Craven Cottage to Stamford Bridge. Adarabioyo has snubbed interest from Newcastle United in order to join Chelsea FC.
And according to the BBC, Adarabioyo is set to undergo his Chelsea medical this week.
The 26-year-old Manchester City Academy product will make the move on a Bosman transfer, or transfer deal with no fee, as his Fulham deal has now expired. Adarabioyo reportedly turned down the opportunity to become one of the higher paid players at Fulham in order to make the switch to the Blues.
Tosin Adarabioyo will take the roster spot of Thiago Silva, who was given a very nice sendoff on Championship Sunday.
Silva, 39, will now return to his native Brazil, where he’ll re-join Fluminense this offseason (as per the same BBC Sport article).
Of course this is all just a warm-up for Chelsea, who will no doubt splash the cash and have a very busy summer transfer window.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.