'I was one of the best' — Super Eagles-eligible star opens up on failing at Man City

Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo has opened up on his failure to break through to the Manchester City first team after rising through the ranks at the club as a top-billed talent.

The 28-year-old centre-back, who joined City's academy at age five, was restricted to just eight senior appearances under Pep Guardiola before making the tough decision to leave in search of consistent minutes. 

Speaking in a recent interview on Tribuna, Adarabioyo acknowledged that he had a legitimate chance of succeeding at the club, given his immense talent. However, he claims to have no regrets about his career taking a different route.

"I was very young at the time, and it's true that I was one of the best young players at the club,” he said in the interview. “I went through all the youth levels – U18 and U23 – and I was closely followed by the first-team staff. 

“I even trained with the professional team. I would have loved to establish myself in that team, but looking back, I have absolutely no regrets. I needed playing time to progress, and joining Fulham in 2020 really helped me grow and paved my way."

He officially departed his boyhood club in the summer of 2020, finalising a £2 million permanent transfer to Fulham in a bid to rescue his stagnating development and prove his worth at the senior level.

Despite authorising his departure, Guardiola had frequently spoken highly of Adarabioyo's technical and physical profile during his teenage years, specifically praising his pace, aerial dominance, and ball-playing ability. 

While his time at City technically yielded a League Cup title, his true professional revival took place at Craven Cottage. 

Adarabioyo quickly became a cornerstone player for Fulham, making 132 total appearances and serving as a crucial figure in their triumphant 2021/22 EFL Championship title campaign.

His exceptional showing for Fulham ultimately earned him a high-profile free transfer to Chelsea in July 2024, where he has since added a Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup to his resume.