Newcastle United suddenly have a fight on their hands, as they look to boost their defensive options ahead of next season.
Lloyd Kelly appears to be on his way to Tyneside, with the Bournemouth centre-back on course to sign for Newcastle United on a free transfer when his contract expires.
And the hope is that he will be joined by Tosin Adarabioyo from Fulham. He is also due to become a free agent, and Newcastle were confident last week that both players would be signing for the Magpies.
However, there is suddenly an issue regarding Tosin.
Chelsea have entered the conversation, and offered the 26-year-old the chance to swap Craven Cottage for Stamford Bridge. It has been reported that Newcastle remain the favourites for his signature, and he would be making a real mistake if he were to opt for Chelsea over the Magpies.
Tosin Adarabioyo must pick Newcastle over Chelsea
I think Tosin, who has previously been called ‘special‘, will be making a mistake is he decides to accept Chelsea’s offer over Newcastle’s.
Only one of those clubs can offer him stability, and that is the Magpies. For instance, the Premier League season ended more than a week ago yet it has still been chaos off the pitch for the Blues.
They have been searching for a new manager after parting ways with Mauricio Pochettino. It looks like they have found someone, with Enzo Maresca due to arrive from Leicester City. But how long will he be in charge for? You never know with Chelsea, which is why moving there is such a big risk.
And given the fact he has not even been appointed, there are no guarantees that Maresca even wants Tosin. There might not be space for him in his team, with Chelsea already boasting a fair few centre-backs. Even though Thiago Silva is leaving, they still have Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Axel Disasi and Trevoh Chalobah.
In contrast, Newcastle have a clear need for a player like Tosin. Going into next season, we will only have two fully fit centre-backs – not including Kelly.
One of those is Fabian Schar, who is 32-years-old. Newcastle will eventually need to replace him, which is why they want Tosin. The club want Tosin and, more specifically, Eddie Howe wants Tosin. He is a fan of his physicality and ability on the ball, which is why he wants the club to sign him.
If Tosin were to choose Newcastle, Howe would have a clear plan for him. He will know how to make the defender better, and how he is going to fit into his side. You simply cannot say the same about Chelsea.
Why Chelsea might appeal to Tosin
But a move to Chelsea would have its advantages.
Firstly, they are more likely to make a better financial offer. While football should dictate his decision, money will come into it as well – especially given the fact he is about to become a free agent.
On top of that, there is the geography and the familiarity of West London to consider. Tosin has been at Fulham for the past four years, and signing for Chelsea would mean he does not need to relocate. That could also be appealing, depending on how he feels about life in the capital.
Thirdly, Chelsea can also offer Tosin the chance to compete in Europe. They are going to be in next season’s Conference League, unlike Newcastle United.
But that is the only footballing reason why Tosin should consider opting for Chelsea over Newcastle. And hopefully it is footballing reasons that have the most influence over his future.
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