Tosin Adarabioyo wants to stay and fight for his place at Chelsea (Image: Getty)
Tosin Adarabioyo wants to fight for his place at and has no plans to join in the January transfer window.
The Seagulls admire Adarabioyo and could significantly improve ‘s PSR position by splashing out on a permanent move, given that the centre-back signed on a free transfer after leaving only seven months ago.
But Brighton are yet to act on their interest, and Express Sport understands that Adarabioyo is keen to give himself every chance of succeeding at Stamford Bridge. The 27-year-old has only made 18 competitive appearances since signing, and injuries to and Benoit Badiashile have improved his prospects of banking regular minutes over the coming weeks.
Defenders Trevoh Chalobah and Aaron Anselmino have been recalled from loan spells at Crystal Palace and Boca Juniors respectively this winter. Axel Disasi is understood to be the centre-back most likely to leave in order to make room for the pair.
is overseeing a time of change in his defensive ranks, with injuries and arrivals set to shake up the options he has available during the second part of the campaign. Academy graduate Josh Acheampong has also taken on increased responsibility.
Adarabioyo wants to remain at until the summer at the earliest but the Blues have shown a willingness to take a heavy-handed approach if a player is deemed surplus to requirements.
Trevoh Chalobah has been recalled from his loan spell at Crystal Palace (Image: Getty)
Before being loaned out to Palace, Chalobah was exiled to the ‘bomb squad’, made up of players who had been transfer listed and told they were not part of Maresca’s first-team plans.
If an official bid was made, Adarabioyo would be a tempting sale for the board given the impact it would have on their accounts. Having paid nothing to take him on as a free agent in June, a permanent exit worth eight figures would give them more manoeuvrability to bring in fresh faces.
That being said, Adarabioyo’s experience in the dressing room may be a commodity Maresca cannot afford to lose. The 6ft 5in defender boasts well over 200 career games, and he is the oldest player to have played in the this term.
Adarabioyo cut his teeth in ‘s academy and made eight senior appearances for the club. During his time at the Etihad Stadium he went on loan to West Bromwich Albion and Blackburn Rovers, before joining Fulham in 2020.