Liverpool and Tottenham in transfer battle for former Manchester City defender: report

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 28: Jurgen Klopp the head coach / manager of Liverpool during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Liverpool and Norwich City at Anfield on January 28, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Liverpool and Tottenham are reportedly battling it out to sign Fulham centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo.

Spurs have been relatively busy in the January transfer window already, signing defender Radu Dragusin from Genoa for £26.7m and bringing in Timo Werner on loan from RB Leipzig until the end of the season.

The Reds, on the other hand, have yet to add to their squad during a month when Jurgen Klopp stunningly announced that he would be stepping down as manager this summer.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 24: Tosin Adarabioyo of Fulham applauds the fans after the Carabao Cup Semi Final Second Leg match between Fulham and Liverpool at Craven Cottage on January 24, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

Adarabioyo was in the Fulham side who Liverpool beat in the Carabao Cup semi-finals earlier this month (Image credit: Getty Images)

With the January window slamming shut this Thursday February 1, it looks likely that Liverpool will wait until the summer to make their next transfer moves – and Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo could be among them.

According to the Mirror (via Football365), the Premier League leaders are weighing up an approach for the 26-year-old, who is out of contract at Craven Cottage in June.

An October 2020 arrival from Manchester City – where he rose through the youth ranks to make eight first-team appearances – Adarabioyo has been a mainstay of Fulham's backline for the past four seasons, starring in the West Londoners' 2021/22 Championship title-winning campaign.

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 31: Tosin Adarabioyo of Fulham during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Arsenal FC at Craven Cottage on December 31, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Adarabioyo has made 121 appearances for Fulham (Image credit: Getty Images)

Liverpool do appear to be considering a number of centre-half options, though, with Bayer Leverkusen's Ecuador international Piero Hincapie said to be one of their top priorities.

And with current Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso the odds-on bookies' favourite to succeed Klopp in the Anfield dugout, that seems like a move which might well come to fruition.

But regardless, the Reds' defensive department is in need of something of a revamp this summer, and Adarabioyo on a free transfer could make for a very shrewd acquisition.

More transfer stories

Man United have been linked with a wonderkid already on Liverpool's radar – and the Red Devils look to have received a boost in their pursuit of Crystal Palace star Michael Olise.

Meanwhile, Chelsea stand to make an historic loss with the potential sale of Romelu Lukaku.

Elsewhere, Arsenal are reportedly lining up a massive move for Victor Osimhen.

And Pep Guardiola has made some controversial remarks on Manchester City's transfer plans.

Tom Hancock

Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open...