Wolverhampton Wanderers are eyeing up Fulham centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo as the defender prepares for a move away from Craven Cottage this summer, according to Dean Jones.
Is Adarabioyo leaving Fulham?
Marco Silva's Fulham were one of the surprise stories of last season in the Premier League. The newly-promoted Cottagers were supposed to struggle on their top-flight return but instead shone right from the outset, managing to secure a 10th-placed finish.
One of the standout stars of the Cottagers' campaign was Adarabioyo, a former Manchester City academy graduate who has blossomed since arriving permanently at Fulham in 2020.
The 25-year-old has attracted attention from other clubs in the Premier League as a result of his consistent performances and growing wealth of experience.
The 6ft5 colossus has reportedly rejected the opportunity to sign a new contract with Fulham, with his current deal expiring in June 2024. As a result of Adarabioyo's uncertain future at the Cottage, the likes of Inter and Monaco have been sniffing around and expressing interest in bringing the England youth international on board.
However, they are not alone. Tottenham have hinted at exploring a move for the defender, while it is now reported by Dean Jones that Wolves are upping their interest in the player.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones stated: "Wolves are going to market in search of at least one centre-back, maybe two depending on how the Kilman situation plays out. There is quite a lot of excitement around the rebuild that Lopetegui is looking towards and the foundations need to be in place soon so that the side has a solid look to it for next season.
"The defensive record was a bit of a mess last term, they conceded 14 goals in their final five games of last season and they are looking for some good value players now, ideally with Premier League experience."
He added: "One player that I’ve heard there is a bit of interest in is Tosin Adarabioyo at Fulham. Wolves actually first looked at him a couple of years ago but the player is currently looking for a new club.
"Ideally he is looking for a step up, he wants to join a Tottenham-sized club and those links are already there, but if his top options don’t come through soon then this could become an interesting alternative. It could be one to look out for down the road."
With Adarabioyo keen to take the next step in his career, the centre-back may not be too enthused by a move to Molineux given Fulham finished three places above Wolves last term.
A move to Spurs or Inter may be his priority this summer, especially given Fulham's rather low £13m valuation of the defender.
Wolves do need to bolster a defence that conceded 58 goals last season, especially given they have lost Nathan Collins to Brentford and Conor Coady has joined Leicester City.
Wolves have only added former Northampton Town goalkeeper Tom King to their squad on a free transfer, while also making obligatory loan deals for Matheus Cunha and Boubacar Traore permanent.
How did Adarabioyo fare last season?
Adarabioyo boasted a solid 6.89 Sofascore rating in the Premier League last season in the 11th sternest defence in the division.
Naturally, the giant centre-back uses his advanced height and physicality to win aerial battles but is less comfortable when balls are played in behind him.
In the 25 games he played in the league, the defender ranked in the top 6% for clearances per 90 among centre-backs (averaging 6.04), as well as boasting a 69.4% success rate in aerial duels.
One potential issue for bigger clubs looking at Adarabioyo is his passing accuracy, ranking in the bottom 36% of centre-backs. While he has a better accuracy when it comes to longer passing distances and ranks fairly high in progressive passes per 90, he may not be the prime candidate for a team wanting to play out from defence.