West Ham missed a trick over 23-year-old England international - TBR View
West Ham have enjoyed a superb 12 months under the stewardship of David Moyes. He may have taken his eye off the ball when it comes to Fikayo Tomori, however.
The Hammers finished in the top six of the Premier League last season and subsequently earned a shot at the Europa League.
As a result, the manager went in search of some new players to try and push his team on again this season.
He landed Kurt Zouma from Chelsea but it’s just over a year to the day that West Ham wanted to sign another Blues defender.
With the clock ticking towards the transfer deadline, Moyes made a late play to try and sign Tomori.
Chelsea wanted a substantial package and ultimately the deal went south.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing but Tomori eventually joined AC Milan and his form there has seen him earn another shot with England.
He came on as a substitute in the 5-0 win over Andorra at the weekend and his career has gone an upward curve.
The 23-year-old has now moved permanently to the San Siro. He has made 31 appearances for the club and is a regular in the team.
Things could have been so much different for Tomori and perhaps it’s West Ham who have slipped up.
Future star: Tomori could be on track to stardom after West Ham rejection
As a youngster, there really isn’t a ceiling when it comes to Tomori and his potential.
He is showcasing some serious form right now and is also featuring regularly in the Champions League.
The England man has even drawn praise from defensive legend Paolo Maldini since his arrival in Italy.
Tomori earns £72,000-a-week and he wouldn’t have been a cheap option for West Ham.
He would have been a capable one though and he would probably have costed less than Zouma has cost the Hammers.
West Ham have the players to repeat last season’s campaign and possibly go slightly better.
Tomori could have been the player to help them to the next level over the next few years, however, and perhaps the club will live to rue their call on the defender.
