Saturday will be a big opportunity for Fikayo Tomori as he looks set to make his first start for AC Milan since joining from Chelsea.
The English defender arrived a week ago on a loan until the end of the season with an option to buy, and Simon Kjaer’s condition is likely to keep him out until mid-February meaning Tomori will be thrown into the firing line, MilanNews report.
From the initial signs in the derby – when he came off the bench to replace Kjaer in the first half – Tomori showed confidence and great physical abilities, both in anticipation and in one-on-one defending.
Those are the qualities that Maldini revealed he wanted during an interview with DAZN: “A defender for me is quite easy to read, but first a player was required who was doing well in a department.
“Right now, especially for the team. our way of playing but also for the situation of football in general, I would go and get a strong defender in one on one, to whom the coach can then teach how to stay within a department.”
There were links with Ajer, Kabak, Simakan with the final duel being between Tomori and Simakan, but the Frenchman’s injury paved the way for Tomori.
The fact that the management insisted, and then obtained, a discount on the option to buy (from €30m to €28m) makes it clear that there is a real possibility that Milan will use their option.
