Sky Blues boss Frank Lampard could be reunited with a player he gave his big break to
Fikayo Tomori has been linked with a move to Coventry City(Image: Getty Images)
Coventry City can make another statement signing after finally striking a deal to sign Carl Rushworth.
The Sky Blues have agreed a fee of around £22.5million with Brighton to land one of the heroes of the Championship-winning campaign. It was further proof that Doug King is prepared to back Frank Lampard in the transfer market as City prepare for their first top-flight campaign since 2001.
Attention will now shift to other areas of the pitch, including the heart of defence. Lampard is reportedly interested in signing a player he needs no introduction to – AC Milan’s Fikayo Tomori, who could soon be on his way back to the Premier League.
Lampard managed Tomori at both Derby and Chelsea, calling him a “fantastic player” in 2020. His progress under Lampard led to him making his senior England debut but the manager’s sacking was the beginning of the end of his time at Stamford Bridge.
Given the demands from Blues owners – past and present – for immediate results, Lampard’s successor, Thomas Tuchel, opted for more experience in the heart of defence.
Frank Lampard has played an important role in Tomori’s career(Image: Action Foto Sport/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
As a result, Tomori found his opportunities limited and he was allowed to join Milan on loan before joining the Serie A giants permanently in the summer of 2021.
He has gone on to establish himself as one of the most consistent defenders in the Italian top-flight. But his career is “at a crossroads” – the words of Italian title Gazzetta – as he enters the final year of his contract.
According to Gazzetta, new Milan boss Ruben Amorim is “assessing” Tomori in pre-season. Once that process is complete, Milan must decide whether to sell or renew his contract. Talks have previously been held about a new deal, but no conclusion has been reached.
Tomori’s AC Milan future is up in the air(Image: AC Milan via Getty Images)
That has piqued the attention of potential suitors, including another Italian giant, Juventus, and the Sky Blues. Liverpool have also been credited with an interest.
City can’t match those two clubs in terms of gravitas but they have other sweeteners they can offer, like a manager he knows and regular first-team football. A proven experienced defender at the prime age of 28 is exactly the kind of signing City should be in the market for.
The price should be right too, with Gazzetta saying he could be available for as little as £13million. It’s a signing that would make sense on multiple levels.
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