Fikayo Tomori has completed his loan move to AC Milan on a six-month deal that will take him to the end of the season.
The Chelsea defender arrived in the Italian city on Friday afternoon to dot the I’s and cross the T’s on his move, which is believed to include a £25million option to buy at the end of it.
Three of the defender's four games this season have come in cup competitions and although he has potential, the England international hasn't been close to breaking into the first team on a regular basis.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard had Tomori on-loan at Derby County and established the defender as a Premier League regular when the former midfielder took over at Stamford Bridge in 2019.
But this season it has been a bit different as Tomori has fallen right down the pecking order after the arrival of Thiago Silva on a free transfer from Paris St Germain.
Speaking on Friday, Lampard revealed why he was willing to allow Tomori to leave on loan despite insisting the defender has a future at the club.
"I have five centre backs and I can’t do this job and expect to please every fan, that’s football," explained the manager.
"What players you should pick or not and when you are searching for consistency, or going on an unbeaten run, there were questions.
"I have to pick two at a time and the numbers don’t always add up."
Tomori is effectively fifth-choice Chelsea centre-back behind Thiago Silva, Kurt Zouma, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.
The manager added: "Fikayo is a developing player, a very good player," said the Blues boss.
"I have seen him rise from arriving at Derby when he was quite a quiet lad to being one of the best defenders in the Championship and a Chelsea and England regular so I think his journey has been great.
"His next step, whether it is on loan or not, he is going to be a top player."
