Fulham are edging closer to signing Torino defender Ola Aina on loan, according to a transfer expert in Italy.
The defender came through the ranks with Chelsea before making his professional debut in August 2016.
Aina made six appearances in all competitions for the Blues under Antonio Conte in 2016/17. He only started two of these games, however, with both starts coming in the EFL Cup.
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The 23-year-old could never establish himself in Chelsea’s first-team, and he spent the next season on loan with Championship side Hull City.
He made 44 league appearances for the Yorkshire outfit during that campaign, before joining Torino on loan in 2018/19.
After impressing in his debut year, Torino opted to sign Aina permanently for a fee of around £9 million last summer.
The right-back has enjoyed an impressive couple of years in Italy. He has been an ever-present for Torino, as he has made 69 appearances in all competitions.
Nicolò Schira has revealed that Aina is now close to returning to the Premier League with Fulham.
The former Chelsea man looks set to move to Fulham on an initial loan deal, with an option to buy him next summer for around €12.5m.
The report adds that the deal includes a 10% sell-on clause for Torino for any future sale of Aina.
The defender represented England at youth level from U16 to U20. But at senior level, he opted to play for Nigeria, and since 2017 he has been capped 17 times.
Aina will come in to compete with Cyrus Christie to be Fulham’s first-choice right-back.
The Cottagers have already been busy this summer having made four new signings. Harrison Reed and Anthony Knockaert have both signed permanently after spending last season on loan from Southampton and Fulham respectively.
Mario Lemina has joined on a season-long loan from Southampton, while Antonee Robinson has signed from Wigan for around £1.9m.
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