Fikayo Tomori will not be part of the AC Milan side that faces Girona tonight, but not because he decided to accept the courtship of rivals Juventus.
As Calciomercato.com report, it is no mystery that Tomori is a target for Juventus to strengthen their defensive department given Thiago Motta is having to deal with long-term injuries to Bremer and Cabal.
Since the end of December Tomori’s profile has been at the top of their list of targets, given that he was not playing much under Paulo Fonseca. Now, however, everything seems to have changed.
The negotiation
Juventus wanted to sign Tomori on loan with an obligation to buy. The offer from their management was €25m in total, divided as follows: €5m for the loan, plus an additional €20m for the mandatory buy-out.
The distance with Milan in terms of valuation was minimal, given that the Rossoneri directors did not want to go below €30m, but the bid put forward was certainly not too far away.
It was a negotiation that began more than three weeks ago and which experienced a series of ups and downs, due to two main factors. It was thought the meeting between the two sides on Saturday could bring a turning point.
What the key factors were
In the end, both the will of the defender and of the coach Sergio Conceicao were decisive. The arrival of the Portuguese coach changed the hierarchies and gave Tomori back the starting spot he had lost.
He is now the first choice starter with Malick Thiaw and Matteo Gabbia rotating as his partners. This renewed trust has tipped the scales in favour of Milan, with the former Chelsea man – even during a phone call with Thiago Motta – reiterating his desire to remain in Milan.
A stay at Milan, therefore, is now almost certain. His bond with the club, the appreciation of Conceicao, the doubts about going to a rival and also the economic aspect are all factors that are leading Tomori to remain.
