Chelsea have submitted an offer to Fulham contract rebel Tosin Adarabioyo, according to Sky Sports.
The English centre-half will leave Fulham on a free transfer when his contract runs out this summer, and Premier League clubs are looking to poach his signature.
Manchester United, Newcastle United, and Chelsea have all been linked with a move, while Tottenham Hotspur have also sounded out an interest in the defender.
However, Chelsea are looking to steal a march on the competition and have tabled a contract offer for the 24-year-old, although he is expected to consider his options before committing to a deal.
Chelsea are long-term admirers of Adarabioyo, but their interest in the defender has been passive. They are now keen to wrap up a deal and have tabled a proposal ahead of their rivals.
Adarabioyo has caught the eye during his time at Craven Cottage. In addition to keeping six clean sheets in 20 Premier League games, the centre-back has won 53% of his ground duels.
He is also a force to be reckoned with in the air, recording an impressive 67% success rate in aerial duels, which is unsurprising considering his intimidating 6ft5 frame.
Adarabioyo is exceptional at reading the game, which is reflected in his 1.42 interceptions per 90, ranking him in the 72nd percentile amongst centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues.
Chelsea are looking to shake up their squad again this summer, and Adarabioyo could be the first of several fresh faces to join the Blues.
While Adarabioyo could be the ideal long-term successor for Thiago Silva, his potential arrival could spell the end of Trevoh Chalobah’s time at Stamford Bridge.
Chalobah is one of several homegrown talents Chelsea are looking to flog this summer in their relentless pursuit of ‘pure profits’ to balance their books.
While the former England under-21 will not push for a move away from west London, Chelsea have made it clear they will consider bids of around £25 million for their academy graduate.
The 24-year-old is likely to have his pick of the bunch this summer, with several European teams already signalling their interest in the defender.
Stats from Sofascore.com