It can be easily forgotten how highly Fikayo Tomori was thought of when he broke through under Frank Lampard in the 2019/20 season. He, along with Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham and Reece James formed a quartet of homegrown stars helping to infuse new energy into the first team.
"Thiago at the back and Timo in attack" might be the line in the song Chelsea fans sing in adoration of Thomas Tuchel now, but under Lampard, it was Fikayo and Tammy being lauded along with Lampard, demonstrating how big a part that duo played in an exciting season for supporters.
But after a bright start as a fully-fledged first-team player Tomori suddenly found himself watching on from the sidelines. By the time he was loaned out to AC Milan in January 2021, he had been firmly placed on the fringes of Lampard's squad without much clarity as to why.
