AC Milan are pushing for an option-to-buy clause to be included in a loan deal for Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori, according to reports.
The Serie A giants are pursuing a move for the Blues stopper, who is out of favour at Stamford Bridge this season.
Tomori was a regular starter during the first half of last term but has found game time harder to come by this time around.
The 23-year-old has only appeared for 44 minutes in the Premier League, while he was a substitute in the FA Cup clash with Morecambe last weekend.
Several English sides have been considering a loan move for the one-cap England international, but Milan have now entered the race to sign him.
A move to San Siro would no doubt appeal to Tomori, particularly as Milan are currently top of Serie A with just one defeat in 17 games this term.
However, Stefano Pioli’s side want an option to buy the 23-year-old included in any deal.
Milan initially suggested an 18-month loan agreement but are also interested in making the loan permanent at the end of the season for around £26m.
It is unclear whether Chelsea would be open to such an offer, and Frank Lampard said recently that Tomori’s long-term future is at Stamford Bridge.
However, after spending more than £200m on new signings last summer, the Chelsea board might welcome opportunities to balance the books.
“Fikayo Tomori absolutely has a long-term future at this club, and we’ll see if and when he goes on loan,” Lampard said this week.
“The moment I got close to Fikayo was when I took him to Derby with me and he was player of the year there and one of the best players in the Championship that year in my opinion.
“And then he came back and played 20-plus games for us at a very young age last year and got in the England squad. There’s an absolute long-term plan for Fikayo in my head about his career here.
“And if it’s to go and play games it’s to absolutely enhance his personal development, hopefully help whatever team he goes to, because that will come hand in hand, and then come back to us a better player.”
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