Chelsea are on the lookout for a new centre-back ahead of the start of the new Premier League campaign, and they may have found a left-field option in Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo.
Who have Chelsea been linked with?
The Blues have done well to cut down their bloated squad this summer, but the sale of Kalidou Koulibaly – plus the lesser spotted Ethan Ampadu – could leave them a little light at the back.
Throw in question marks over the futures of Levi Colwill and Trevoh Chalobah, with the latter emerging as a rumoured target for West Ham United, plus the fact Wesley Fofana is a long-term absentee, and it is little wonder Mauricio Pochettino's side are being linked with other defenders.
According to Chelsea writer Simon Phillips, via his Substack page, the Fulham titan is one of those the west London outfit are considering making a move for, while Axel Disasi of Monaco and Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi also remain on the Argentine's radar.
Adarabioyo would likely be available for a far lower price than Disasi and Guehi, as RMC Sport reporter Fabrice Hawkins has reported that he is available for up to €15m (£13m) due to his contract expiring in under a year's time.
Where would Adarabioyo fit in at Chelsea?
Adarabioyo, who has also been linked with Tottenham Hotspur, has spent the past three seasons with Fulham – two of those in the Premier League, either side of a spell in the Championship – after opting against trying to make the grade at Manchester City.
The 25-year-old colossus made eight appearances for City under Pep Guardiola, who praised the youngster two years ago for joining another club and making a name for himself at the highest level.
"He's a guy from the academy and, finally, he has taken his position in the Premier League. We are more than delighted the level he's showing," Guardiola said. "He deserves it. He's an exceptional person and a good footballer."
Adarabioyo has made 58 Premier League appearances for Fulham, 23 of those coming last season as a starter in the heart of defence. The former England U19 ace led the way among Fulham defenders for aerial duels won (2.4 per game), as per WhoScored, and clearances (5.5 per game).
Indeed, only three players in the division – Chris Mepham (5.6), Joachim Andersen (5.8) and Ethan Pinnock (7.1) averaged more clearances than Adarabioyo last season.
That is not the only area the Englishman thrives as, according to The Analyst, he in the top 20% of all defenders across Europe's top five leagues for aerial duels won.
Adarabioyo may not be as well known as Chelsea's other defensive targets, but he more than holds his own against the Premier League's elite names in terms of his performances.
In fact, FBref's comparison model ranks Manchester United star Raphael Varane as the player fifth-most like Adarabioyo across Europe's top five leagues, meaning Pochettino could grab his very own version of the Champions League and World Cup-winning titan.
They win a similar number of aerial duels (72.4% for Varane compared to 69.4% for Adarabioyo) and complete a similar number of passes (86.3% v 82% respectively).
While Varane averages more blocks (1.13 per 90 v 0.86), the 6 foot 5 powerhouse comes out on top for tackles won (0.56 per 90 v 0.42) and interceptions (1.12 v 0.52).
This is not to say Adarabioyo is a better defender than Varane, as such, but he clearly has something about him that could make him a star in his own right under the Argentine at Stamford Bridge.