The background on his move as Milan prepare to sign Tomori permanently

By Isak Möller -

AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori has impressed whilst on loan from Chelsea this season. The 23-year-old joined Milan in the January transfer window in a bid to get more game time. 

And as a result, he has become a regular at the San Siro and put in several strong performances for the Serie A side. As part of his loan move to Milan, Tomori has a buy-out clause in his contract.

With Tomori showing confidence and maturity during his loan spell, rumours are circulating about whether the Rossoneri will consider making a move for the English defender this summer (you can read the latest update here).

Tomori’s impressive loan spell

In the first half of the 2020/21 season, Tomori played just 45 minutes in the Premier League for Chelsea. The centre-back was seemingly unfavoured by former Blues boss Frank Lampard, and his appearances were limited to the EFL Cup and a 10-minute cameo against Morecambe in the FA Cup.

With limited game time, Tomori went out on loan and joined Milan. He hit the ground running with Rossoneri, making the centre-back position his own. Tomori made 22 appearances for Milan in the second half of the season, and he had a run of full games towards the end of the season.

The English centre-back has played the full 90-minutes in 13 consecutive games in Serie A. More recently, Tomori helped Milan keep five straight clean sheets and scored against Juventus in a 3-0 away win (watch his goal here) at the Allianz Stadium.

The buy-out and Milan’s intention

Speculation about his future is rife with bookies on sportfogadas.net after having consistent performances and proving himself at Milan in such a short spell. That’s why Paolo Maldini and co will be looking to sign Tomori in the summer. He is a viable option and has shown he is capable of playing alongside Simon Kjaer.

Milan will want to mount a Serie A title challenge next season after finishing runners up to city rivals Inter this season. They have also qualified for the Champions League next season and will be looking to strengthen their squad this summer.

Although the €28m clause is justified, Milan could try to lower the fee. But this could prove to be a challenging task as the young English defender is highly rated at Stamford Bridge. Consequently, Milan may struggle to negotiate a reduced price for Tomori after his strong loan spell, which is understandable.

Chelsea unlikely to grant a discount

Another obstacle for Milan could be Chelsea’s willingness to give Tomori another shot. Since leaving, previous manager Frank Lampard has been replaced by Thomas Tuchel.

The arrival of Tuchel has allowed defensive players to flourish in the second half of the season. Kurt Zouma, Cesar Azpilicueta and Antonio Rüdiger have all impressed and provided the foundation for the Blues to reach the Champions League and FA Cup finals and make the top four in the Premier League.

Tomori will have some tough competition if he decides to return to Stamford Bridge. But Tuchel could see him as a welcome addition to a strong backline, which could cause problems for Milan and their pursuit of Tomori. However, this could all be solved by triggering the €28m clause, of course.

READ MORE: Milan initiate contacts with Bologna over signing of talented midfielder

Tags AC Milan Chelsea Fikayo Tomori
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