1 week ago
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Fikayo Tomori has admitted that this season so far has been like a second life for the AC Milan squad, and confirmed he is open to a renewal.
Milan are currently top of the league after seven games, having won five of them with just one defeat thus far, that coming against newly-promoted Cremonese. The enthusiasm has been rekindled by new head coach Massimiliano Allegri, and the resurgence of several players who struggled last year.
One of those is Tomori, probably by his own admission. The Englishman was decisive in the last title win but has struggled to find that same form since. However, the switch to a three-man defence – in which he is the right-sided centre-back – seems to have benefitted everyone.
‘The atmosphere is different now’
This has even led to reports that a renewal is being discussed. Tomori gave an interview to Claudio Raimondi of SportMediaset about how the season is going so far, whether a title challenge is possible and the attachment that he feels to Milan.
You took first place on Sunday…
“We’re happy. We played well against Fiorentina, there’s a positive atmosphere, but the coach always tells us to focus on the next match, and that’s what we’re doing to stay in first place.”
Is this your second life at Milan?
“Yes, I think it’s like that for everyone. Last year, things didn’t go well. This year, we have new players, a new coach, and the atmosphere is different now: we started the season well and we want to continue like this, not just individually, but as a team as well.
“The coach has asked certain things of me, and I try to do them on the pitch. I’m happy with my performances and with how the team is playing.”
Do you believe you can go to the World Cup with England?
“Of course. I’ve spoken to Tuchel a couple of times and I know what I have to do. I know that if I play well with Milan, the call will come. I hope so. I have to focus on what I’m doing and then be ready when and if the call comes. The World Cup is a dream, it is for everyone and it’s the same for me.”
You’re one of the few survivors of the 2021-22 Scudetto win, do you see any similarities?
“I don’t know. We have a different team, a different atmosphere, but there are some similarities: we feel like we have a good group, with the mentality of taking it game by game. Now there’s Pisa, then Atalanta, then Roma: we’re thinking about every game we play, as the coach tells us.
“It’s too early to say ‘Let’s win the Scudetto.’ Right now, we’re well-positioned. There’s a match against Pisa where we can prove how strong we are.”
Is it true you’re talking to the club about a renewal?
“As I’ve always said since I arrived, Milan is a great club, and until the management tells me ‘Enough is enough,’ I’m staying here; I have a home here.
“Honestly, I haven’t thought too much about renewing my contract, because I want to focus on the next match the way the manager wants. Then, when they ask me about my contract, I’ll think about it.”
Can Modric do what Ibrahimovic did in 2022?
“It could be, yes. They’re different. They both have experience, but Zlatan was a bit tougher, he’d talk to get the team going, while Modric showed how to play, how to train, how to approach matches. They’re both examples to learn from.
“When Zlatan was there, we had a younger team, now we have a more experienced squad. Zlatan won the Scudetto on his own, while now there are five or six key players, including Modric. Experience pays off.”
What are you willing to do in case of winning the Scudetto?
“I haven’t thought about it. Maybe I’ll go blond if we do something extraordinary…”
What language do you speak in the dressing room?
“English, French, Italian, Spanish… People who don’t speak much Italian are the new lads Odogu, Athekame, Nkunku, but on the pitch we find a way to speak.”
English (US) ·