Report: Liverpool make contact to sign former Chelsea star | OneFootball

Liverpool Eye Fikayo Tomori as Defensive Depth Search Intensifies

Liverpool’s search for defensive cover appears to be widening, with TuttoSport, via TuttoJuve reporting that AC Milan centre-back Fikayo Tomori has entered the club’s thinking.

It is an eye-catching development, largely because Tomori has not featured prominently in the early rounds of transfer speculation around Anfield this summer. Yet the context is clear. Liverpool are actively assessing centre-back and right-back solutions, with Andoni Iraola already acknowledging that the current depth in those areas is light heading into the new campaign.

The Italian report suggests “first contacts” have already taken place between Liverpool and Milan. The indication, at this stage, is that this is exploratory rather than advanced. That distinction matters. Clubs regularly test the conditions of a potential move before deciding whether to escalate, and this sounds very much like a case of Liverpool gathering information on price, availability and the shape of any possible deal.

Tomori, now 28, offers a profile that would make sense in several respects. He has Premier League pedigree from earlier in his career, significant experience in Serie A, and a strong record at a major European club. Since joining Milan permanently in 2021, following an initial loan from Chelsea, he has become an established figure and played a major role in their title-winning season. He also remained heavily involved last term, making 33 league appearances.

Contract status is an obvious factor here. Tomori is into the final year of his Milan deal, which naturally creates an opening for interested clubs. Milan may prefer to sell now rather than risk losing him for nothing next summer, and that can alter both valuation and negotiating flexibility.

For Liverpool, the key question will be whether Tomori represents the right balance of cost, readiness and reliability. He is not a developmental signing, he is a player in his peak years who could potentially come in and contribute immediately. In a market where availability can shape strategy as much as long-term planning, that may prove important.

Tomori Transfer Fits Current Liverpool Need

The timing of this report feels significant because Liverpool’s requirement is not theoretical. Iraola has been open about the situation, saying: “In the long term, we know we want Conor Bradley to be our right back but right now he’s still a little bit far from returning. So with the centre-back, right-back situation, in terms of defensive depth, we are very thin right now, so it’s a solution that we are trying to find.”

Photo: IMAGO

That points towards versatility and immediate availability being central to recruitment discussions. While Tomori is primarily a centre-back, his pace, recovery defending and experience at elite level could make him an attractive option as Liverpool look to reinforce without drifting too far from proven quality.

Milan Contract Situation Could Open Door

Milan’s stance will be crucial. A player entering the final 12 months of his contract often becomes part of a practical discussion rather than an emotional one. If renewal is not progressing, clubs tend to weigh the benefits of a sale against the risk of losing an asset for no fee.

That does not automatically make a move straightforward, but it does create room for manoeuvre. Liverpool, if genuinely interested, will almost certainly be trying to establish whether a deal can be struck at a sensible level before moving beyond early contact.

Our View

From a Liverpool supporter’s perspective, this is one of those links that feels believable even if it has arrived a little out of nowhere. Tomori may not be the glamorous name some fans will demand, but there is logic to it. He knows English football, he has matured in Italy, and he has spent years playing under pressure at a club where expectations are huge. That matters.

The biggest attraction is probably readiness. Liverpool do not need a project in every position. Sometimes a squad just needs a dependable, athletic defender who can step in quickly, defend space and cope with the intensity of a big season. Tomori looks closer to that description than many younger, riskier names who get linked in every window.

There will be fair questions over consistency, and supporters will want to know why Milan might be willing to let him go. Equally, if the fee is sensible because of his contract situation, Liverpool could be looking at a smart market opportunity rather than a headline signing.

If this is genuinely only at the contact stage, then it is one to watch rather than one to expect. But if Liverpool are serious about giving Iraola the depth he clearly wants, a move like this would make practical sense. It may not dominate the back pages, but it could still prove useful business.