Seven interesting things you didn't know about Chelsea first signing of the summer - Tosin Adarabioyo.

● | PULSE SPORTS.

Chelsea announced Tosin Adarabioyo as their first signing of the summer under Enzo Maresca. 

Tosin Adarabioyo is an English professional soccer player who plays as a centre-back. 

Here are some interesting facts you didn't know about the Chelsea man: 

Adarabioyo began his youth career at Manchester City before moving to Fulham after a pair of loan spells at West Bromwich and Blackburn. 

He will be departing Fulham on June 30, 2024, as a free agent before beginning his Chelsea spell on July 1, 2024.

Full name: Abdul-Nasir Oluwatosin Oluwadoyinsolami “Tosin” Adarabioyo

Birth date: 24 September 1997 

Nationality: English 

Place of birth: Manchester, England 

Age: 26 years old (as of June 2024) 

Position: Defender (Centre-back)  

Current Team: Chelsea (from July 1, 2024)

Height: 6 ft 5 in (196cm)

Marital status: Single 

Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Adarabioyo

Siblings: Gbolahan and Fisayo Adarabioyo

Instagram: @tosinadarabioyo

1. EARLY BEGINNINGS: 

Having been discovered by then Manchester City head scout Terry John, Tosin Adarabioyo became a mainstay in the youth setup and progressed through the system and even made a few starts for the first squad, notably becoming the youngest starter in the club’s Champions League history at 19 years and 73 days against Celtic in December 2016.

However, the shortage of first-team opportunities saw Adarabioyo spend time on loan at Blackburn and West Brom to get playing experience in 2018-19 and 2019-20, respectively. 

With no real pathway guaranteed at the Etihad Stadium, Adarabioyo left the club he had been at for 18 years by departing permanently to Fulham in 2020. He established himself as a consistent starter for the team and was a major factor in their 2022–2023 Premier League comeback, making 41 appearances in the 2021-22 Championship-winning season.

However, a new deal could not be agreed in the centre-back's final year, and the defender is set to depart Craven Cottage on June 30. 

2. Tosin Adarabioyo Career Achievements

Team

Manchester City EFL Cup: 2017–18

Fulham EFL Championship: 2021–22

Individual

PFA Team of the Year: 2021–22 Championship

EFL Championship Team of the Season: 2021–22 Championship

3. STYLE OF PLAY: 

While some observers doubt Tosin Adarabioyo, the defender’s athleticism and aerial dominance allied with his passing ability make him sought after. 

Given modern tactics value players of his skill set, the 26-year-old should thrive under Maresca at Chelsea. His adeptness in possession and tactical awareness means he could start regularly at centre-back in a four-player defence but assume new responsibilities when his side have good possession. 

With most modern-day tactics favouring a back three in possession, with two ahead of the reshaped defence, Adarabioyo could be the centre-back in the redesigned back three, flanked by his central defensive partner and one of the team’s full-backs. 

Adarabioyo’s passing ability and ball-carrying tendencies could open up the pitch with progressive passes or aggressive ball carries.

4. Tosin's stats:

According to Transfermarkt, Tosin Adarabioyo has played 285 career games, scoring nine times and assisting five. Of those appearances, 104 have come in the Championship, 78 have been Premier League appearances and three have come in the Champions League proper.

Strikingly, the defender has nearly 7000 minutes of Premier League experience, a positive for a young team at Stamford Bridge.

According to Fbref, Adarabioyo ranked in the top 25 for percentage of aerial duels won with 66.7% in 2023-24, a drop from 69.4% in 2022-23.  

5. INJURY HISTORY: 

While Tosin Adarabioyo missed several months after undergoing groin surgery in his last season at Fulham, the defender’s previous durability should please Chelsea supporters, who have dealt with injury-hit squads for two consecutive seasons. 

According to Transfermarkt, Adarabioyo has missed 22 games due to injury in his professional career, with 12 coming in the 2023-24 season after he underwent said surgery.

6. TOSIN ADARABIOYO'S PERSONAL LIFE:

While photos of his father could not be obtained, Tosin Adarabioyo tends to post pictures with his mother on social media.  

The centre-back has two siblings, Gbolahan and Fisayo Adarabioyo, who are involved in football in different capacities.

Gbolahan is a licensed football agent and CEO of WNRS Sports/Closeview who manage and represent the Chelsea centre-back, while Fisayo — a former striker — retired from playing in 2021. 

7. NIGERIAN HERITAGE: 

At the time of writing (June 2024), Tosin Adarabioyo has not declared his interest in playing for Nigeria’s Super Eagles, even though he continues to wait for his England debut. 

The centre-back has represented the England youth sides at U16, U17, U18 and U19, making 14 appearances in total.

Given that he has not appeared for England’s Three Lions, a potential switch to Nigeria should not be complicated.

Tosin Adarabioyo’s love for pounded yam and egusi:

Despite not registering his Super Eagles interest, the centre-back revealed his appreciation for pounded yam and egusi. The yam is boiled and pounded to a thick, smooth, dough-like consistency and eaten with the thickened soup.

Tosin Adarabioyo is fond of Fela Kuti’s music:

In the same interview with PICHA, Tosin Adarabioyo disclosed his liking for Fela Kuti’s music and the late singer’s Afrobeat genre. 

We sincerely back Tosin to succeed at Chelsea and wish him all the best in his Chelsea career.