Newcastle compete with West Ham for a free agent.
Newcastle has joined West Ham, Liverpool, Tottenham, and AC Milan in their pursuit of Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo. Although West Ham were previously considered the frontrunners for the centre-back’s signature, we now face significant competition. The 26-year-old announced his intention to leave Craven Cottage last week, despite getting a substantial contract extension offer that would have placed him among the club’s highest earners.
With only three games remaining this season, Fulham boss Marco Silva speculated that Adarabioyo may have already played his final game for the club.
“If we need him to play and I decide to put him on the pitch, he will play,” Silva said after the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace. “That doesn’t mean he won’t play again for Fulham. I’m focused on the moment. I want to win football games and be as competitive as possible. But we also need to worry about the club’s future.” Adarabioyo has made 131 appearances for the West London club since joining from Manchester City in 2020 for £2 million. The idea of West Ham acquiring their top defender for free, after selling Issa Diop to the Cottagers for a large fee last year, is a striking irony.