AC Milan are being tipped to sign Fikayo Tomori on a permanent basis from Chelsea this summer, and his form last season makes it an easy decision.
As per Football Italia, the Rossoneri are expected to exercise their option to buy this summer and sign the 23-year-old for €28m, with that price-tag alone a sign of how highly they rate and value the English centre-half.
READ MORE: Why Milan should now keep Pobega at the club after earning shot
Tomori made 22 appearances for us after arriving in January, and in turn played a pivotal role in helping us secure a second-place finish in Serie A and thus qualification for the Champions League.
Although he did suffer a slight dip in form along the way, his impact ultimately kept captain Alessio Romagnoli out of the starting line-up, in a major sign in itself of how much Stefano Pioli valued his presence in the heart of his defence.
From his aggressive defensive style to put pressure on the opposition to his recovery pace, physicality, aerial strength as well as his reading of the game, Tomori has attributes that few defenders, especially around his age, possess.
He complemented stalwart Simon Kjaer perfectly in that sense as the pair built a solid partnership at the back, although it is hoped that we do get to see Romagnoli return to the XI as our captain could also strike a great balance with Tomori if given the opportunity.
Nevertheless, there was certainly enough from Tomori to warrant a permanent move this summer, and particularly after securing our return to Europe’s top table, it ultimately makes a swoop an easy decision to ensure that he remains at Milan.
From the player’s perspective, Chelsea are fresh from winning the Champions League and securing a top-four finish of their own without him, and so question marks have to be raised over whether or not he fits into Thomas Tuchel’s plans.
Having seemingly settled so easily in Milan both in terms of the team and city, Tomori’s best option is arguably to stay with us to continue his development and eventually break into the England squad again as it was a questionable decision from Gareth Southgate to leave him out for the European Championships this summer.
In turn, it’s hoped that a deal is done in the coming weeks to wrap up the situation and to avoid it from dragging on, as clarity on both sides will no doubt be welcomed.
Milan have a top defender who is yet to hit his peak years and is more than capable of being an integral pillar in our long-term success if he keeps improving and stays consistent. With that in mind, coupled with the lack of solid and proven alternatives on the market, signing Tomori on a permanent basis has to be a no-brainer for management this summer.