Aston Villa have received a significant boost in their pursuit of Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo, who is being considered as a potential replacement for Ezri Konsa. Konsa is on the verge of completing a £51 million plus add-ons transfer to Arsenal, with the England international having already said his farewells at Villa’s training ground, Bodymoor Heath. He is scheduled to undergo a medical examination this Thursday, according to The Athletic.
Konsa’s anticipated departure adds to the exits of Morgan Rogers, Lucas Digne, and Youri Tielemans, prompting Villa to look for suitable reinforcements in central defence. Tosin, who has struggled for consistent playing time since joining Chelsea two years ago, is among the options being considered.
While Villa have yet to make a formal approach, reports from Sky Sports indicate that manager Unai Emery is keen to explore a deal for the 28-year-old defender. Chelsea appear open to the possibility of offloading Tosin, who has been listed among a group of up to twelve players training separately at the Cobham training ground as part of a squad overhaul initiated by new head coach Xabi Alonso.
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Tosin’s squad number was recently changed from No.4 to No.38, signalling his peripheral status at Stamford Bridge. Although his exact valuation remains undisclosed, Chelsea’s willingness to let him leave offers Villa encouragement as they seek to finalise their defensive plans ahead of the new Premier League season.
With the transfer window closing on 1 September and Villa’s first league fixture against Brighton at the AMEX Stadium just four days later, the Midlands club are acting swiftly to secure their squad. Tosin has been working alongside younger talents such as Liam Delap, Nicolas Jackson, and Mykhailo Mudryk during Chelsea’s current training sessions.
As Aston Villa prepare for significant changes to their defensive line-up, the potential acquisition of Tosin Adarabioyo could prove crucial in filling the gap left by Konsa’s imminent exit.