Aston Villa receive transfer encouragement as defender stance becomes clear
AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori is opening to leaving the club and returning to England before Monday night's transfer deadline, as links with Aston Villa continue to emerge. Centre half Tomori, a product of the Chelsea academy, joined Milan on an initial loan basis in the summer of 2020 before making the move permanent a year later.
He has racked up 163 appearances for the Rossoneri in that time and scored seven goals, and he has recently reclaimed his place in the starting XI having been benched for most of November and December. It was at that stage that the rumours regarding his future at the San Siro began to swirl.
Tomori, who is Canadian born but has represented England at various age groups and in the senior side, joined Chelsea as a child and he made 27 appearances for the Blues before leaving for good. While in England, he had loan spells at Hull City, Brighton and Hove Albion and, perhaps more famously, with Derby County under Frank Lampard, in a season which involved being defeated by Villa in the play-off final.
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Tomori, 27, could return to England and West Ham have also previously been linked with a move. Sky in Italy claim that, with the right offer to Milan, Tomori can leave before Monday night's deadline.
Villa, of course, are in desperate need of a defensive reinforcement having sold Diego Carlos and lost Pau Torres and, for the time being, Tyrone Mings to injury. It leaves Ezri Konsa as the only fit, senior, centre half available to Unai Emery at this moment. Many other names have emerged in the closing stages of the window, including Juan Foyth, Axel Disasi, Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso as the Lions consider their options.
