Tottenham's Defensive Reshuffle: Tosin Adarabioyo on the Radar

Tottenham are edging towards a late defensive reshuffle, and the domino at the heart of it all might be Tosin Adarabioyo.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Spurs are working on a deal to sign the Chelsea centre-back as they brace for potential departures in the final stretch of the window. The money has already flowed this summer in north London; any new face now is likely to be tied directly to someone walking out of the door.

Danso wants out – and he’s not alone

Inside the club, the tension is clear. Roberto De Zerbi has already lifted the lid on the situation, confirming that three players have asked to leave.

“He said too many times [Richarlison] he wants to leave. Danso came to me two days ago, and he said he wants to leave, and Pape Sarr, the same, but he suffer[ed] a small injury, but he is almost ready to train.”

Danso’s request is the one that bites hardest in terms of squad structure. Tottenham are open to letting him go in the coming days, and with Sunderland showing late interest in the defender, the clock is ticking. If he goes, they cannot afford to be caught light in the middle of the back line.

That is where Tosin comes in.

Chelsea talks open the door

Romano has confirmed that Chelsea are working on a deal to sign Tosin, and that has pushed Tottenham into action. The move is described as a “concrete possibility” for Spurs, though the format of the deal remains on the table: loan or permanent, nothing is settled yet.

One major question hangs over it. Would Chelsea really sanction a move to Tottenham, a direct rival in the Premier League landscape? On paper, it feels like the sort of transfer that usually dies in the politics of the boardroom.

Yet Spurs are actively working on it. That alone suggests they have received at least some encouragement that a deal is not off-limits.

The problem is time. For Tottenham to sell Danso and bring in Tosin, two separate negotiations need to line up almost perfectly in the final days of the window. Any delay on one side could leave them exposed.

Does Tosin to Spurs actually fit?

Strip away the urgency and the question becomes more tactical than financial: does this move really make sense for Tosin?

He has struggled to establish himself as a regular starter at Chelsea. At this stage of his career, his next step needs to be to a club willing to trust him week after week, not just plug him in when injuries pile up.

Breaking into Tottenham’s current back line will not be straightforward. Micky van de Ven, Marcos Senesi and Jan-Paul van Hecke are already locked in as the three main options in central defence. Any new arrival walks into a hierarchy that is already settled.

Tosin would add depth, no doubt. He would give De Zerbi another specialist centre-back to rotate in a season that will stretch this squad. But there is a legitimate argument that a more versatile defender – someone comfortable across the back line – might suit Tottenham’s needs better than a relatively fixed-profile centre-back.

Final piece of the window?

With Iliman Ndiaye already in from Everton, the sense around the club is that one more signing will close out Tottenham’s window. All signs point towards that final move being a defender.

Whether that defender is Tosin Adarabioyo, and whether Kevin Danso’s exit provides the trigger, will be decided in the frantic final days of trading. Spurs know what they need. Now they have to decide how bold they’re willing to be to get it done.