Fabrizio Romano has explained Chelsea didn’t include a buy-back clause in Fikayo Tomori’s sale to AC Milan unlike other players who left in the transfer window.
Tomori was part of the Stamford Bridge summer clear out, and one of many players who climbed from Cobham’s ranks.
In fact the defender kick-started the exodus of exits, signing for AC Milan little more than a week after the transfer window opened again for business.
Milan made the 23-year-old’s January loan move permanent for £25m (Sky Sports).
However, as Romano stated, in the deal Chelsea failed to add a possibility of re-signing Tomori further down the line for a certain price.
Keeping the Blues in touching distance
A buy-back clause was something the Blues ensured was part of Tammy Abraham’s agreement with Roma, Tino Livramento’s with Southampton and Marc Guehi’s with Crystal Palace.
All three waved goodbye to Stamford Bridge last month or the one before, having been nurtured in the academy from their footballing birth.
The trio each earned the club a profit – Abraham £34m (BBC), Guehi £18m (Guardian), and Livramento £5m (Guardian) – as well as some cash towards the Romelu Lukaku transfer.
While the talented triangle – Livramento and Abraham at least – got their wishes by leaving Chelsea, they could still return home in the future.
Chelsea slapped the buy-back option in each of their terms and conditions.
Not one to be overly sentimental about re-signing players, the Blues have only reclaimed lost possessions on a handful of occasions in the Premier League era.
Nemanja Matic, Graeme Le Saux and, most nostalgically, Didier Drogba were retrieved after stepping foot outside south west London.
Abraham, Livramento, Guehi – this could be your fate eventually.