AC Milan will do all they can to sign Chelsea on-loan defender Fikayo Tomori permanently this summer, according to the club’s honorary vice-president Franco Baresi.
Tomori made the switch to the San Siro in January and settled into Serie A life well, producing a string of impressive performances for the Rossoneri.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport (via Evening Standard), Baresi said: “We’ll do everything to sign [Tomori] on a permanent deal.
“Tomori is imposing himself with talent and determination. He has shown no fear to play in a new league. Potentially, he can become a great champion. I hope he lives up to expectations.”
That’s high praise indeed from a man considered one of the greatest defenders of all time, who racked up over 700 Milan appearances and won the 1982 World Cup with Italy.
Baresi accepted that Tomori’s future is “not only up to Milan” – although the seven-time European champions do have the option to buy the 23-year-old for £25 million plus add-ons when his loan expires at the end of the season.
Born in Calgary, Canada, Tomori came through the Chelsea youth ranks and broke into the first team last season under Frank Lampard, who he’d played under on loan at Derby in 2018/19. He made his England debut in a 4-0 Euro 2020 qualifying win away to Kosovo in November 2019.
However, the centre-back found himself out of favour at Stamford Bridge this season and made only one Premier League appearance before leaving for Milan.
With ten games to go, Milan are second in Serie A, although they trail rivals Inter by six points having played a game more. Still, Stefano Pioli’s side remain on course to secure Champions League football for the first time since 2013/14.
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