Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo arrived at the club last summer and was supposed to bring calm, experience, and authority to the rearguard.
However, he struggled following his move to Stamford Bridge, failing to impose himself. Many expected the Blues to part ways with the English star this summer.
But per the Daily Mail, Adarabioyo is a part of manager Xabi Alonso’s plans for the season ahead. The news will come as a shock to many who saw him in a Chelsea shirt.
He started only eight Premier League games for Chelsea (16 appearances) and looked calamitous sometimes.
The stats will say he won 71 percent of his aerial and 68% of his ground duels, but he was very poor at the basics.
In truth, many Chelsea defenders didn’t really cover themselves in glory last season, but Adarabioyo was one of the worst of the bunch.
Alonso is taking a significant gamble if he believes Adarabioyo can suddenly become a dependable figure at the heart of Chelsea’s defence.
Experience certainly has value in a young squad, but experience alone is meaningless if the performances are not at the required level.
Throughout last season, the 28-year-old looked short of the pace, composure and consistency needed to thrive for a club with Chelsea’s ambitions.
Too often he was caught out of position, struggled under pressure and failed to inspire confidence in those around him.
Every player deserves the chance to improve under a new manager, but Chelsea need defenders capable of challenging for major honours immediately.
Adarabioyo might be ‘special‘ on his day, but he hasn’t shown it yet for the West London outfit.
Unless Adarabioyo produces a dramatic turnaround, the Blues would be far wiser to strengthen the position with a clear upgrade before the transfer window closes.
Also, it is worth noting how Joe Shields’ ex-Manchester City players are being shielded while players who performed better in their position are being sold.
Alejandro Garnacho was miles better than Jamie Gittens, but the former is on the market, while the Englishman gets a second chance.
Romeo Lavia is yet to complete 90 minutes for Chelsea, but Andrey Santos is sold ahead of him.
Trevoh Chalobah was mildly better than Adarabioyo and came from Cobham but is being pushed out. It is a concerning pattern.