Fikayo Tomori proud to carry the weight of expectations at AC Milan in Serie A title bid

It says a lot about Fikayo Tomori’s burgeoning profile that he was chosen by AC Milan for the club’s visit to Dubai this week.

The English centre-back, who signed permanently with the Serie A leaders from Chelsea last June having spent an initial six months on loan, is in the emirate for a couple of days as Milan participate in several fan events around Expo 2020.

On Tuesday morning, Tomori joined teammate Brahim Diaz for a roundtable with members of Milan’s Middle Eastern fan clubs – Bahrain and Kuwait were among those represented – before visiting the Expo 2020 site to put children through a special training session at the event’s AC Milan Academy. And afterwards, a Q&A gathering with 1,500 of the club’s UAE-based supporters.

Only 24, it underlines Tomori’s stature and standing within the 18-time Italian champions.

“For sure,” Tomori tells The National in between events at his Dubai hotel. “I feel the weight of the club, you can feel how important it is in the world, the history and the importance. And for me to be here it’s a great opportunity to represent the club.

“I feel like since I’ve been here, I’ve grown as a person as well. I’ve developed not only on the pitch, but off the pitch as well. So feeling really good.”

That personal progress extends to his mastery of the language already, with Tomori rather impressively conducting full interviews in Italian whenever needed. He's embracing the culture, too, smiling that he has developed a taste for coffee – “trying to be a proper Italian” – even if he hasn’t quite forgotten his English roots with the odd cup of tea at home.

Born in Canada to Nigerian parents, Tomori moved to England with family when he was one, and came through the Chelsea academy to represent both