What Frank Lampard said about Fikayo Tomori before Chelsea exit as defender is linked with return to former club

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AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori left Chelsea in 2021 after struggling for minutes at Stamford Bridge.

Fikayo Tomori initially joined AC Milan on loan before the Italian giants signed him permanently.

However, it has now been claimed that Chelsea have been offered Tomori with the January transfer window now open.

The 27-year-old may feel that he has a point to prove after failing to hold down a spot under Frank Lampard during his time at the Blues.

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Frank Lampard gives insight into Fikayo Tomori behind the scenes

While Tomori would go on to lose his starting place under Lampard, the Chelsea legend said he had no problem with the Milan star.

According to Lampard, Tomori trained well, while the former midfielder also claimed that he had been a “fantastic player” for him after managing the England international at both Chelsea and Derby County.

“I’ve got no problem with Fikayo,” Lampard told The Guardian and other outlets in 2020. “I rely on him. That’s clear from when I took him to Derby and how I handled him last year.

“He’s been a fantastic player for me. He trains very well and when he gets his opportunity, like he had when he came on against Liverpool and in the Carabao Cup, it’s important he takes them.”

Whatever the case, Tomori found it hard not playing at Chelsea and clearly felt that he had to leave the club after moving to Milan.

Fikayo Tomori’s stats this season

Tomori has not been able to make the same kind of impact this season that he has in previous campaigns at Milan.

Right now, Tomori is not a starter for them, though that could change following Paulo Fonseca’s departure. In total, he has made just six starts in Serie A this term.

Across the nine matches that Tomori has played in the Italian league altogether, the former Chelsea man has averaged 0.9 tackles, 0.8 interceptions and 0.6 blocks per game. It is a drop-off compared to the previous two seasons.

Ultimately, it may be time for a change in scenery, and a return to Chelsea could be a possibility if the club can offload Axel Disasi.

Disasi is attracting interest from Bayern Munich and other clubs, so there is a chance that the Frenchman leaves Stamford Bridge this month.