Report: Chelsea's Fikayo Tomori on Newcastle United's radar
After a promising debut season, Chelsea academy product Fikayo Tomori seems to have fallen down the club's pecking order. The 22-year-old England international has spent most of the ongoing season either on the bench or in the stands, as Frank Lampard has preferred to pick more experienced defenders at the back.
According to The Telegraph, Steve Bruce's Newcastle United will look to bring in Fikayo Tomori on loan in January to add younger legs to their aging center-back core. The Magpies will reportedly be limited to bringing in players only on loan in January.
This is a consequence of the financial hit that all clubs around the world have experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Newcastle owner Mike Ashley's continued legal saga against the Premier League hasn't helped matters either.
Fikayo Tomori was being chased by many clubs in the summer, but no deal could be reached which suited all parties. The Englishman ultimately chose to stay and fight for his place at Chelsea.
Does Frank Lampard's Chelsea still have a place for Fikayo Tomori?
Newcastle are currently 13th in the Premier League after their 2-0 win over Crystal Palace at the weekend. Steve Bruce's side have shown that they can be susceptible to conceding goals against teams with pacey forwards.
This is where Tomori can shine, as the Chelsea starlet is renowned for his pace as a center-back. The young defender will also get much-needed minutes under his belt, which will could help him develop into a defender that Frank Lampard can count on.
Tomori's two full starts this season have come in the EFL Cup, and the defender has only made one appearance in the Premier League for Chelsea. A loan move at this time would be ideal for the young Englishman's development. Although Newcastle might not be his first choice, it would still provide him with more game time than he currently gets at Chelsea.
The additions of Thiago Silva, Ben Chilwell, and Edouard Mendy have strengthened Chelsea's backline significantly. Frank Lampard's side boast the Premier League's best attacking record and second-best defensive record. These factors have made the case for Tomori's inclusion even more bleak.
Chelsea currently sit third in the table behind Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool. The Blues will face Sevilla in their UEFA Champions League group stage match on Wednesday, with Tomori unlikely to feature.