Chelsea loanee Fikayo Tomori impresses in first start for Milan

Emmet Gates

• Updated: 23 May 2023 08:45 CDT
• 2 min read

Chelsea’s on-loan defender Fikayo Tomori is settling into life quick at Milan, with the defender putting in another measured performance against Bologna.

Tomori, who arrived at the Italian giants on loan with an option to buy at the end of the season, made his debut in the Coppa Italia quarter final loss against Inter.

Tomori came on for the injured Simon Kjaer early in the game, and, up against Romelu Lukaku, produced a solid performance in what was a highly tempestuous encounter.

With the Dane ruled out for the next several weeks, Tomori was given his first start by coach Stefano Pioli ahead of the trip to Bologna.

The Rossoneri won 2-1, thanks to goals from Ante Rebic and Franck Kessie that signalled a return to winning ways for the league leaders after their crushing 3-0 league defeat to Atalanta at home last weekend.

Defensively, Alessio Romangnoli and Tomori, in particular, produced sturdy displays.

With February seeing the return of European action, and with Milan in the Europa League, Tomori should be getting ample opportunities to play. Milan face Red Star Belgrade in the Round of 32 in the Europa League.

The injury to Kjaer has also worked in Tomori’s favour, as he has been thrust into the starting XI sooner than he would’ve originally thought.

Milan have the option to turn Tomori’s loan spell into a permanent deal in the summer, for a figure of £30m, according to multiple reports.

Given the 23-year-old’s bright start to life in Milan, it’s an option the club may very well take up.

Milan are currently leading the Serie A table with 46 points. They’re five points ahead of city-rivals Inter, who have a game in hand as of writing.