According to rumors, Newcastle United is the front-runner to sign Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo on a free transfer at the end of the current campaign.
The 26-year-old was once a member of Manchester City’s academy, but after missing out on a spot at the defending Premier League winners, he transferred to Craven Cottage.
Prior to moving to the city, Adarabioyo played on loan at West Brom and Blackburn, where he established himself as a strong and dominant center defense.
According to the Northern Echo, Newcastle is attempting to entice Adarabioyo to St James’ Park after Fulham’s attempts to lock him down to a new, long-term contract failed.
Newcastle United are frontrunners to land Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo on a free transfer at the end of the season
After giving the Manchester-born defender a £100,000-per-week contract, they have received strong signs that the player would be willing to move from the capital to the northeast of England.
Adarabioyo, meanwhile, is in serious water with Fulham officials because he declined to stay longer.
Despite having started the team’s last nine Premier League games, his impasse with the organization has resulted in his exclusion from Fulham’s matchday roster for their most recent match against Crystal Palace.
Adarabioyo is also expected to be left out of the matchday squad for the remaining three games of the season – including against his former club Man City.
The Cottagers would likely make a huge profit on the £1.5m they initially paid to Man City if they could have negotiated a contract extension with the defender but are now set to lose out on recovering any fee.
Fulham boss Marco Silva hoped a previous offer tabled with Adarabioyo that would have made him one of the club’s best-paid players would have been enough to convince him to stay, but the deal was rejected.
Fulham boss Marco Silva (left) wants Adarabioyo to stay at the club while Eddie Howe (right) is hoping to bring the defender to the north-east
Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly is also in talks over making a free transfer to Newcastle
Manchester United, Tottenham and West Ham were also in discussions with the player’s representatives, but Newcastle appear closest to completing a deal.
Newcastle are targeting free and low-cost transfers during the summer as they attempt to wrangle through Financial Fair Play [FFP] regulations and are also interested in Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly.
The Cherries defender is another priority option for Magpies boss Eddie Howe who is keen to reinforce his backline after long-term injuries to both Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles.
Bournemouth have been unable to reach an agreement with Kelly – who has made 23 appearances in all competitions this season – and talks are ongoing over making the switch to join Newcastle.
