Chelsea have reportedly decided that they don’t want to let Tosin Adarabioyo join West Ham United in the January transfer window.
The 27-year-old defender only joined Chelsea from Fulham on a free transfer in the summer, and it seems he will get more time to establish himself at Stamford Bridge despite a tricky start.
West Ham seemingly had some interest in a move for Adarabioyo, but Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has apparently decided quite quickly that he wants to keep his current squad together, according to Football Insider.
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West Ham could have done well to add Adarabioyo as another option at the back after their poor start to the season, but it seems the east Londoners will have to look elsewhere.
Chelsea fans will probably feel this is the right call on balance, as the Blues will surely need to have good depth in their squad over the course of this long and challenging season.
Even if Adarabioyo hasn’t played much for CFC in the Premier League so far, he has had more opportunities in the Europa Conference League, and that’s where squad depth becomes important.
Maresca won’t want to be relying on the same players every few days, so that option to rotate could be key to keeping his team fresh and focused on a possible title challenge.
Chelsea find themselves second in the Premier League table at the moment, and though few would have expected them to be up there competing with the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City, they may now have a real opportunity.
Adarabioyo may yet have a role to play if he can afford other defenders some time to rest in midweek European games, while he’s also a reliable backup option in case of injuries and suspensions.
Still, one imagines Adarabioyo might look at his situation again in the summer if he continues to find himself warming the bench at the Bridge.
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