Chelsea sign Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo | OneFootball

Chelsea have signed Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo on a free transfer with the 26-year-old signing a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

He becomes the first new signing of the summer for the Blues who are looking to switch up their squad, both in terms of buying and selling, ahead of the new Premier League season.

Tosin will join Chelsea on 1 July when his contract with Fulham expires. In April the defender rejected an offer to become one of the highest paid players at Craven Cottage preferring instead to make the move across London in order to play in Europe.

“Chelsea is a huge club and this is a full-circle moment for me. I was born three miles away from Stamford Bridge and made my professional debut there,” Adarabioyo said about his transfer.

“I’m very excited and looking forward to helping push the club in the direction we want to go.”

Tosin played an important role securing promotion from the Championship for Fulham and has made 45 top-flight appearances since the Cottagers’ return to the Premier League.

His arrival at Stamford Bridge could force the departure of Chelsea academy defender Trevoh Chalobah, who is available for sale as the club look to balance their books with regards to financial fair play.

Chelsea’s co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart said: “We are delighted to bring Tosin to Chelsea. Throughout his career, he has showcased his maturity and defensive qualities and has gained a wealth of experience in the Premier League in recent seasons.

“He is ready to make the step up to Chelsea and work alongside the talented players in our squad. We look forward to Tosin joining up with us for pre-season.”