Why Everton signing Tosin Adarabioyo would bolster their defence
According to the Belfast Telegraph, Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti has admitted that he wants to bring in a new centre-back after youngster Jarrad Branthwaite suffered an injury in the Toffees’ 3-0 rout of Salford City in the EFL Cup.
Everton already have Mason Holgate ruled out with a toe injury, potentially until the end of October. Now, with Branthwaite also joining him in the treatment room, the Toffees currently find themselves short of quality cover at the heart of the defence.
Neither of them is expected to be out of action for a very long time but Ancelotti has made it clear that he wants another option at the back to avoid a potential burnout. Everton have largely focussed on strengthening their midfield and creative lines this summer, with the likes of Abdoulaye Doucoure, James Rodriguez and Allan coming through the door.
The Toffees, though, have also been linked with a few central defenders in the ongoing transfer window. The Sunday Mirror (9/8; Page 65) reported that Ancelotti’s side were interested in Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma and Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings while Fikayo Tomori has also been touted as a target for the club.
However, with Tomori also attracting interest from French club Rennes, Everton are now in danger of missing out on the England international. That should prompt them to turn their focus to Manchester City youngster Tosin Adarabioyo, who had been reported as a target for the Toffees last month.
Profile
A product of Man City’s youth system, Adarabioyo made his senior debut for the Citizens in an FA Cup tie against Chelsea back in the 2015-16 season. He followed it up with a handful of domestic cup and Champions League appearances over the next two seasons before completing a loan move to West Brom in the Championship.
The 22-year-old made 30 appearances in the second-tier during the 2018-19 season as the Baggies went all the way through to the promotion Playoffs. Adarabioyo showed further improvement while on loan at Blackburn Rovers in the Championship last season, establishing himself as a regular fixture and scoring thrice in 34 appearances.
Adarabioyo would sort out Everton’s squad depth issues
Everton already have Michael Keane and Yerry Mina as their established first-choice central defenders, meaning that the Toffees are only in the market for a rotational option. Branthwaite proved his top-flight credentials with some promising displays towards the back end of last season while Holgate also grabbed his opportunities with both hands.
Hence, the Toffees would be better off looking at a relatively cheap and young option rather than targeting another experienced defender before the summer deadline. To put things into perspective, Tosin Adarabioyo perfectly fits the bill as a promising young centre-back who seems to have a bright future ahead of him.
Standing at 6ft 5in, the 22-year-old has already impressed with his imposing physical presence in the Championship during loan spells at West Brom and Blackburn. He is yet to make a single appearance in the Premier League but Adarabioyo looks ready to make the step up to the top-flight.
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Verdict
Tosin Adarabioyo still has his best years ahead of him at 22 and working under a charismatic manager like Carlo Ancelotti at Goodison Park will surely go a long way towards maximising his potential. With his contract at Man City set to expire in 2021, Everton should try to negotiate a cut-price deal for the youngster this summer in a bid to add more depth to their backline.
