AC Milan will "do everything possible" to sign Fikayo Tomori permanently according to club legend Franco Baresi.
The defender moved to the San Siro on loan back in January having found game time hard to come by at Chelsea.
Tomori could return to Stamford Bridge at the end of the season should Milan opt against signing him.
The 23-year-old has quickly established himself at the Italian outfit, playing 12 times.
He has been coy when quizzed on his future, but Baresi has been clear on the club's intentions as they consider his £26m purchase option.
"We will do everything possible to sign him on a permanent deal," he told Gazzetta dello Sport.
"Two months are remaining until the end of the season, and it's not only up to Milan.
"Tomori is imposing himself with talent and determination. He has shown no fear playing in a new league.
"He can potentially become a great champion. I hope he lives up to expectations."
Milan have their sights on the Serie A title but will have to overhaul rivals Inter Milan.
Paolo Maldini, who played alongside Baresi at the San Siro, has previously said that Tomori's fee is "very high".
He told Sky Sports Italia: "Tomori is a good talent and we have a buy-option clause.
"The price is very high. AC Milan will decide at the end of this season and we will discuss it with Chelsea's board."
Tomori found himself behind the likes of Thiago Silva and Kurt Zouma in the Chelsea pecking order before moving to Italy.
And the defender has opened up on the challenges that he dealt with in west London.
“I was suddenly out of the squad and I don’t really know why,” he explained to the Telegraph .
“I just thought I needed to work hard. Then I went to speak to the manager and he said you’ve just got to train harder, so I took that on the chin and thought that’s what I had to do.
“Mentally, it was difficult because you just want to be playing and on the pitch, and feel part of the team.
"And it was difficult for me because I wasn’t really feeling part of the team and I was wondering what had happened."
