Frank Lampard has refused to confirm whether Chelsea will agree to an option to buy being included in the loan deal that takes Fikayo Tomori to AC Milan for the remainder of the campaign.
The Blues defender was a regular in Lampard's side during the first half of the 2019/20 season but fell out of favour at the start of last year and has never been able to regain his place.
Tomori has made just seven appearances for Chelsea since the start of 2020 and this term is behind Thiago Silva, Kurt Zouma, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen in the centre-back pecking order.
Lampard confirmed after the Blues' FA Cup win over Morecambe earlier this month the 23-year-old could be leaving Stamford Bridge on loan for the remainder of the campaign and Milan have since emerged as the front runners to sign Tomori.
A deal that takes him to San Siro until the summer could be completed in a matter days. But Lampard did not wish to comment on speculation that the Serie A side will have the option to sign Tomori permanently during his loan spell.
"There is no detail, that's not been confirmed," the Chelsea head coach replied when asked if such a clause was in place.
Lampard has remained steadfast in his praise of Tomori's efforts in training and conduct off the pitch this season. Yet that hasn't resulted in first-team minutes.
"Fikayo's a developing player," Lampard said ahead of the Blues Premier League game with Leicester City. "As a squad, we had four centre-backs last year and you can't play four in one game.
"You try to find consistency at different times; at one point Fikayo was in the side. Later on, not so much.
"This year we have five centre-backs, so the predicament is difficult for those who are not playing regularly. And that's why he may go out on loan for his development.
"He's a young player and he's had a huge rise in the last two or so seasons that I've been working with him. That will continue, we'll find the best path for that."
