Aston Villa are looking at Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo as they prepare for the expected departure of Ezri Konsa, Footynaija reports.
Konsa is close to joining Premier League champions Arsenal after the two clubs agreed a deal worth £51m plus add-ons. The England defender has already said goodbye to his Villa team-mates and is expected to have his medical on Thursday.
Villa now need to find a replacement for one of their most important defenders. Tosin is one of the players being considered for the role, according to Sky Sports UK.
The 28-year-old has two years left on his Chelsea contract, but the London club are willing to reduce the size of their squad. Tosin played regularly during pre-season but was left out of Chelsea’s final friendly against Real Sociedad.
His situation has also become clearer after his squad number from last season was given to new signing Valentin Barco.
Tosin could be an attractive option for Villa because of his Premier League experience. He joined Chelsea as a free agent two years ago and has made 70 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring seven goals and providing one assist.
He is also classed as a homegrown player, which could increase his value to English clubs. Although he is eligible to play for Nigeria, he has not yet made his senior international debut.
Villa are not the only club interested. Benfica, managed by Marco Silva, Marseille and Sevilla are also keeping track of the defender.
Tosin’s next move could therefore depend on which club can offer him the best chance of regular football. With Konsa heading towards the exit, Villa could become one of his strongest options.
