Manchester United Made Late Attempt To Try And Hijack Chelsea‘s Move For Tosin Adarabioyo—-Manchester United made a late attempt to sign Tosin Adarabioyo but talks over a move to Chelsea were already too far advanced.
The 26-year old defender is expected to be confirmed as the first signing of Enzo Maresca‘s era over the next 48 hours.
He underwent medicals on Tuesday and agreed his deal with Chelsea pending the official expiry of his contract with Fulham.
United had expressed their interest in the free agent centre back months ago but it was Newcastle United who made the early running for his signature and came close to agreement.
Chelsea then made an offer last month before returning with an improved contract last weekend once they had chosen Maresca as their new manager.
Maresca has worked with Adarabioyo previously at Manchester City and was a key figure behind the centre back’s decision to join Chelsea – coupled with the added attraction of European football.
United returned to offer a concrete proposal at the weekend but Adarabioyo had already committed to joining up with Maresca.
The Old Trafford club are in the midst of an end of season review and still waiting to finalise some of their recruitment team but have identified certain targets and will look to get value in the market.
They want two centre backs, a midfielder and a striker but need to strengthen at full back also.
As a free agent with Premier League experience, Adarabioyo was identified as a player of interest but they have other options.
Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo and Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite are among the other defenders on their list.
It is the first major title for Tottenham since it won the English League Cup in 2008, and its first European triumph since it won its second UEFA Cup — the equivalent of the Europa League now — in 1984.
Brennan Johnson squeezed in the winner at the end of the first half on Wednesday to help Spurs salvage a dismal season, in which it will finish near the bottom of the Premier League standings.
The title guarantees Spurs a spot in next season’s Champions League, and brings some much-needed relief for manager Ange Postecoglou after he struggled to keep his team on track all year.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Brennan Johnson, left, scores their first goal [Vincent West/Reuters]
The victory comes six years after Tottenham fell short against Liverpool in the Champions League final.
The defeat adds pressure on United coach Ruben Amorim, whose team sits in 16th place — just ahead of Tottenham — in the Premier League. The club will not play in any European competition next season.
United came close to equalising the match on Wednesday when a header by Rasmus Hojlund was cleared at the goal line by Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven in the 68th.
Deep into stoppage time, a header by Luke Shaw prompted a difficult save by Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Micky van de Ven clears the ball off the line [Andrew Couldridge/Reuters]
It had been an even match, with neither team creating many significant scoring opportunities, until Tottenham got on the board in the 42nd minute after a cross by Pape Sarr into the area.
The ball ricocheted off Shaw and fell in front of Johnson, who seemed to get just enough of it to poke it across the goal line.
United pressed forward after conceding, but was not able to get the equaliser in front of a split crowd of nearly 50,000 at Athletic Bilbao’s San Mames Stadium.
Manchester United’s captain, Bruno Fernandes, looks dejected as he walks past the trophy after collecting his runners-up medal [Isabel Infantes/Reuters]
United had last won a trophy in the 2024 FA Cup, and its last European triumph was at the 2017 Europa League under manager Jose Mourinho.
The Red Devils lost all four matches against Tottenham this season and is winless against its rival in seven straight games, with the last six under Postecoglou.
United and Tottenham had met in just one previous final — the 2009 League Cup when Alex Ferguson’s United won 4-1 on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
Tottenham striker Son Heung-min, who came off the bench in the 67th, finally ended his decade-long trophy drought with Spurs.