Tottenham’s new centre-back has spoken about friendship, bravery and the scale of the club as he begins life at Hotspur Way.
When he reported for duty on Tuesday, Tosin Adarabioyo found two things prepared for him: a Spurs jersey bearing his squad number and a trusted endorsement from a close friend.
The 29-year-old needed little persuasion, having heard a strong recommendation from what he calls “my guy, Dom”.
“Dominic Solanke told me this was the place to be, and after hearing that I already knew,” Adarabioyo said in his first interview as a Tottenham player. “The discussion I had with the manager confirmed it for me. This is a fantastic club, and now that I’m walking around, taking in its scale and visiting the stadium, I can feel how special it will be.”
It is an opportunity Adarabioyo has been working towards throughout his career.
He arrives from Chelsea, where he made 70 appearances, occasionally captained the side and collected major honours. Those successes included the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup in 2025.
His route to north London has taken several turns, beginning at Manchester City before spells with Blackburn, West Brom and Fulham, followed by two seasons at Stamford Bridge. He is now back in London, this time wearing white.
“I believe I have reached a significant stage of my career,” Adarabioyo said. “After talking with the manager and Roberto, I understand the kind of football he wants. It feels like an excellent match for me.”
That manager is Roberto De Zerbi, whose footballing philosophy played a major part in attracting the defender to Tottenham.
“He wants his teams to play football constantly,” Adarabioyo explained. “Our discussions have included plenty of tactical detail as well as the type of atmosphere he wants to create. His approach demands real courage, and helping the team show that bravery is important to me wherever I play.”
While De Zerbi provided the footballing pitch, Solanke offered insight into Tottenham as a place to live and work.
The two men have known one another since their England youth-team days. They have been teammates and opponents over the years, with their most recent meeting coming on Boxing Day 2023, when Adarabioyo represented Fulham and Solanke played for Bournemouth.
“He is a great friend and probably one of my closest friends in football,” Adarabioyo said. “We talked extensively about the club and are both excited to work together again. He told me this was where I should be. Having the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as my home ground to protect will be incredibly special.”
Adarabioyo has yet to play at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, although he has already experienced the intensity of London derbies at other grounds. The chance to defend this particular fixture is already on his mind.
He is also reunited with another well-known figure after Mykhailo Mudryk joined Tottenham on loan this week.
“Misha is a tireless worker,” Adarabioyo said. “That has always been his character. Since I have known him, he has treated every training session seriously and given everything. When he returned for pre-season, he was still operating at an excellent level. He is prepared to compete, and that tells you everything about him. He is an outstanding player.”
Mudryk previously worked with De Zerbi at Shakhtar. Adarabioyo added that the winger has spoken “only in the most positive and glowing terms” about the manager, making their reunion in north London particularly meaningful.
