AC Milan's Fikayo Tomori, formerly of Chelsea, sat down with those at 'FilthyFellas' and spoke about several topics.
Here's what he had to say about the Rossoneri:
"The loan move to Milan? You know, I got there, and I thought, in the whole year (2020), I had like five games, or something like that. So I thought I need to get back to playing. Once I get back to playing, I'll be sorted. So then I started playing, and Italians are so like: when you are doing good, they cheer you like the best thing they've ever seen and you feel like you are the king of the world. So I get there and I'm feeling good about myself (laughs)... Then, we got to March or April, and then Maldini and a guy called Massara came to me and he said: 'Oh, you want to stay? Maldini asked you if you want to stay.' and I said: 'Yeah', and 10 minutes after my agent said 'Oh, so you really like it here?' I said 'Yes, it's going good', he said: 'They just told they're going to trigger the option to buy' and I said 'Already?' and my agent said: 'Yes, if you want to do it, it's done', and that was it."
On Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Tomori said:
"He's the most competitive person I've ever come across in my life. Everything, even in training. Sometimes, the youth team would come training with us and if they didn't give him the ball exactly to his feet, he'd just be going at them. In the 5v5 games, if his team doesn't win, we keep on playing until they win or he's going inside and he'd be so mad and he wouldn't talk to anyone. He'd just go, smashing his boots everywhere... I've never come across anyone like him. He is so locked in, so wired. He doesn't care. For, that 5v5 game, if he has to play for one hour, we'll play for one hour, until his team wins. You don't want to be one who does not give him the ball, he'd start going at you. You just make sure you give him the ball as he likes it..."
How did Zlatan Ibrahimovic's mentality helped you win the league title?
"He won't let you stop or take it easy. Even in the last game of the season, we were up 3-0 at half-time: he comes in and is like: 'we have to keep playing, the game is not over'. Even now in his (advisor) role, he's still like that."
Where does he rank among the players you played with? Tomori answered:
"He is top. Three, because when I got there was around 39 or something, and even back then he was mad, like shooting, strong, hold up play, linking play, everything. I was thinking: 'Imagine if he were 25 or 26'. The ball would up in the air, and his foot just goes there. His finishing? It was good, but his touch..."
On Luka Modric, Tomori commented:
"When he came, no one knew what to expect. He is 40 now. But I remember the first time, and we went to the changing room after possession training, and someone says to him: 'Did you lose the ball today?' and everyone said 'I was thinking the same thing.' He didn't lose the ball, like ever. That is Ballon d'Or level. He did not lose the ball. Someone presses him, and he does his thing, just like little movements, he'd move his legs and the defender goes one way, and he goes the other way. He just knows where to be. Ranking? After him, Zlatan is second and then Reijnders. Leao? Rafa can win the Ballon d'Or. He's a rapper and a footballer, yes, and he is a Twitch streamer. If Reijnders is a goal-scoring midfielder? He is. But, they (Manchester City) got Haaland. Even when I watch City, he is always in a position to score. Maybe the ball doesn't arrive. Last season at Milan, he was playing for fun. In terms of tight spaces, one-twos, he is tidy. Then, there is Theo Hernandez. Theo and Rafa, when they used to turn on, it was crazy. If you ask Theo to sprint without the ball, maybe he won't look fast. But with the ball, he gets faster."
Tomori and when Maldini called him for the first time in Zoom:
"I didn't know that he was going to be on the call. I answered the call. He was just there. My agent was speaking, and he was speaking English as well, and I thought: 'I'm talking to Maldini. What is going on?' and after, I tell my dad: 'I just talked to Maldini', and he remembered his team, Weah, Baresi, it was mad. I couldn't believe it was happening. After I hung up, I was like 'What just happened?' It was crazy."
Tomori on winning the Scudetto:
"Winning Serie A was incredible, especially because no one had us as favorites. We knew we would win, but when people asked, we always said we were focused on each match and not thinking about anything else. I remember the last match, we were away, and they asked me how many tickets I needed. They told me to hurry because Sassuolo’s website had crashed, Milan fans were buying every ticket. There are four stands, one had the home fans, the other three were full of Milan supporters. When we arrived at the stadium two hours early, the place was already full. At the final whistle everyone rushed onto the pitch. It was crazy, they hugged and kissed us. Incredible, and then there was the parade in the city."
Tomori, would you come back to the Premier League if there is an opportunity?
"Maybe at one stage. But, you can never say never in football, you know? Anything can happen, but right now? I'm 27, going into 28, I have time."
