AC Milan, England: the Fikayo Tomori paradox
Frustration. This is what Fikayo Tomori (24 years old) is probably going through now. At a time when a good part of his partners have left Milanello to join their respective teams, the English central defender will be content to follow the two friendly matches of the Three Lions at Wembley, against Switzerland (Saturday, 6.30 p.m.) then against Ivory Coast (Tuesday March 29), in front of his television. His absence from Gareth Southgate’s list is a surprise.
Tomori seduces in Milan
The central defender bought € 28.8 million by the Rossoneri from Chelsea last summer, after 6 proven first months on the San Siro side, is one of the indisputable holders of the formation coached by Stefano Pioli. He is no stranger to the first place occupied by AC Milan in Serie A, after 30 days. Fikayo Tomori, who has played 31 games in all competitions since the start of the 2021-2022 financial year (1 but in the Champions League), impresses everyone in the Boot.
Its power as its quality of recovery does not pass in the sights of our transalpine neighbors, while few attackers take it in stride. Outside the meadow, the native of Calgary (Canada) stood out in a very positive way when he appeared at the microphone of Milanese television after the victory against Naples (1-0) in the league, handling the Italian language with ease. What to delight the tifosi and agitate the web, while some players, after several years spent in a foreign country, still do not speak a word of the language in front of the press.
An absence that makes people talk in England
But then how to explain his absence in selection, in this first international truce of the calendar year 2022? The English coach preferred Conor Coady, Marc Guéhi, Harry Maguire, Tyrone Mings, John Stones and Ben White for this gathering. “I like Fikayo for his defensive aggression, because he’s fast, confident, and his use of the ball is only getting better”declared however the coach of the vice-champions of Europe in title last September, when he had a positive image in the country after his good performances with Chelsea in particular.
English fans have not failed to express their anger and their incomprehension on this subject, while Harry Maguire’s performance with Manchester United leaves something to be desired, and Tyrone Mings goes through a perhaps more delicate pass with Aston Villa, for example. Whoever has 2 caps with England would in any case not have deserved to see his name on this list. Especially since these are friendly matches, with the opportunity to carry out “tests” there with a view to cut matches. And that no one can claim to have his full profile and experience.
In any case, this seems to confirm the trend in Her Majesty’s Kingdom, the player who also passed through Hull City or Derby County was already not in the game during the last gathering of the year 2021. The conquest of Fikayo Tomori seems almost total in Italy, where he only needs a championship title to move definitively into another dimension. It remains to be seen whether he will be able to convince Gareth Southgate to take him to Qatar with Harry Kane & co to compete in what he hopes will be the first World Cup of his young career.