Fulham managed to emphatically secure promotion back to the Premier League at the end of what was a storming Championship campaign from the west London club last season.
One figure that played a vital role throughout the campaign for the Cottagers was Tosin Adarabioyo.
With 41 league appearances to his name, only Tim Ream and Aleksandar Mitrovic played more minutes than the centre-back.
In those appearances, the Englishman racked up the third-highest number of interceptions (50) and fourth-highest of successful tackles (28) in the Fulham squad, as well as the highest average for clearances per game (3.6).
To further highlight how significant he is at the back, out of the two league games he was an unused substitute, Fulham ended up conceding eight goals in total, four against Coventry City in October and four against Sheffield United on the final day of the season.
Now that the west London club are days away from starting their next Premier League campaign, the remaining period of the summer transfer should give Silva the chance to make some extra additions to his squad that can make the team better suited to having a successful season in the top division.
One player the club have reportedly submitted a bid for is Manchester United defender Eric Bailly, and he’s someone who could form a rather menacing duo beside Tosin at the back.
Would Eric Bailly be a good signing for Fulham?
Yes
No
With 70 Premier League appearances under his belt for the Red Devils, this experience could make him a big help and a source of guidance for Adarabioyo, who only has 33 top-flight appearances to his name.
His performances in the past have also been heavily praised as former United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer lauded his “immense” display against Aston Villa back in the 2020/21 season.
It was during that campaign that he was a rock at the back for United, as he wasn’t dribbled past a single time in the Premier League, while ranking in the top 4% of players in the same position for successful pressures across the division and in the top 2% for shots blocked per 90 minutes.
The £87k-per-week defender was also in the best 5% of centre-backs for interceptions completed every 90 mins.
This highlights the clear talent he has at the back and why he’d be a valuable asset for Fulham heading into their new campaign. It’s also evident that partnering him alongside a fairly young defender in Adarabioyo, would certainly create a tougher backline for opponents to break down this term.
With the duo’s ability to defend their goal, this potential partnership would surely be a menacing prospect for attacking players, thus giving Silva’s side a greater chance of avoiding relegation.
