Aston Villa in pursuit of Fikayo Tomori as loan-to-buy bid submitted
Aston Villa have joined the race to sign AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori, according to TBR Football.
The news outlet has reported (17 January) that Villa and Tottenham Hotspur are both interested in the England centre-half, who is looking for regular games to work his way into the reckoning of Thomas Tuchel.
It is also suggested Juventus are the frontrunners for Tomori, 27, having submitted a loan offer with an obligation to buy the defender at the end of the season – the loan offer would be over £4.2million, with a permanent fee of around £17m and an extra £4.2m in bonuses.
The hierarchy at Villa Park are likely to consider the market rate potentially reasonable for the experienced Serie A star.
Aston Villa want to sign Fikayo Tomori
Tomori’s name has been one bandied around European transfer radar for considerable time, with the centre-back only having recently returned to the Milan starting XI.
The past few months have seen his appearances become inconsistent, spending a lot of time on the bench at San Siro and potentially seeking a way out to become a first-choice defender elsewhere.
It remains uncertain how tempted Unai Emery is to push for the deal against the intense competition, but if Juve’s reported initial bid is anything to go by, it is a decent market rate for an English international at prime age.
Milan may fancy their chances of charging a little more to a Premier League club for an Englishman, but Tomori is likely to be tempted by a return to the league in which he originally debuted as a youngster at Chelsea.
Tomori’s contract in Italy runs until 2027, having racked up 161 appearances in the famous red and black stripes. The Villans are looking to secure squad depth as they fight on three fronts this season.
In other Aston Villa news, as one defender enters Villa’s plans, another looks to be on his way out.
For more Aston Villa news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.