'Here we go': Medical booked as Tosin Adarabioyo makes his choice between Newcastle and Chelsea

Newcastle United looked to have sealed the deal for Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo last week until Chelsea came storming into pole position.

Several reporters were claiming that terms were agreed between Newcastle and the 26-year-old centre-back and it was just a matter of time before the deal would be announced.

However, it transpired that Chelsea, who had been in contact with Tosin, had approached with a better offer and thrown a spanner in the works.

This morning Fabrizio Romano claimed that Chelsea was Tosin's preferred destination was likely to be Chelsea after the Blues offered him more money.

Adarabioyo has chosen Chelsea oveer Newcastle

Early this evening Fabrizio Romano confirmed what he thought he knew by posting on X that a verbal agreement had been reached between Chelsea and Adarabioyo.

"Tosin Adarabioyo to Chelsea, here we go! Initial approach one month ago and verbal agreement reached today.

"Medical tests have also been booked, set to take place next week.

"Documents set to be signed after medical, if all goes to plan.

"Exclusive story, confirmed."

Newcastle will have to return to the drawing board

It's a blow to Newcastle and Eddie Howe who will now have to search for another defender to join Lloyd Kelly this summer, and it's likely that whoever we go for now is going to cost us money rather than be signed on a free which will eat into our precious transfer budget.

We can see the reasons Adarabioyo would choose Chelsea with him already living in the area and likely to earn more money, but at the end of the day, if he was at all ambitious he'd have chosen to join the upwardly mobile Magpies where he'd be more likely to get regular playing time and to be part of something special.

I suppose players don't think like the fans, and we don't know all the details. It's a blow, but one we'll recover from. It's still very early days.