Fikayo Tomori is not thinking of a Premier League return as the AC Milan star appears to be chasing former club Chelsea

The 24-year-old helped the Italian giants win their first Scudetto in 11 years last season and has become a fan favorite for his command of the Italian language, unusual for a Brit abroad.

However, he still carries something of Chelsea in him and, having attended the academy since he was eight, his intuition told him that the Champions League would take him home.

“I kind of knew we were going to draw Chelsea before the draw was announced, so the fact that it’s happened now is very exciting,” Tomori told a select group of reporters.

“It was a conjecture for me. When it came out, I remember my friends all saying ‘you knew it, you knew it!’”

Among those friends are Chelsea’s past and present players such as Mason Mount, Reece James and Tammy Abraham – who have built glorious careers of their own.

On Wednesday, when the Champions League music hits, Tomori will remember to win with Rossoneri and not impress anyone in England.

“It’s nice to see them again, but I’m sure it’s the same for them if you ask them… once you step over that white line and the first whistle goes, it’s like we’re not friends anymore . We are trying to fight for the three points,” he added.

There will be more focus on Tomori than most on the field. The homecoming itself will add to the pressure and England manager Gareth Southgate may be tempted to attend the midweek European matches with Tomori coming to a stadium near him.

Tomori has capped for England three times and is only fighting to make it to the Three Lions squad in Qatar and is unlikely to start.

He admits he wants to play but is happy after hearing Southgate’s explanation of what to do to break in more regularly.

“Every player wants to play and you want to be involved, but it’s an honor for me to be selected,” he added. “I know now that I’m not quite there yet, I still have some things to do to get myself in the frame to be there for the World Cup, so hopefully I can do that.

“There are a lot of games between now and then for me to try to get into that squad or hopefully be in a position where I can also get a few minutes on the pitch.

“There are things in Milan where the manager wants me to be in certain positions or do certain things that I have to try and remember to do on the pitch and off the pitch to make myself a better player and try to get better .” in the team structure.

“I spoke to Gareth about those things and he agreed, so I know I have to try and improve those things and from there we’ll see what happens.”

That pressure that Tomori faces is made easier by past experiences. After 15 years at Chelsea, the defender can boast of winning a title battle against fierce rivals Inter Milan in front of 80,000 supporters in San Siro.

The size and scale of Milan will be showcased at the “From Milan to Many” BoxPark event at Wembley to warm up traveling fans and those in London who support the Italian giants by letting them hear from legendary defender Alessandro Nesta.

Against the background of a legacy of great defending, Tomori is feeling happy in Milan after extending his contract until 2027 in August and he can now look back on what could have been at Chelsea.

“2020 was a difficult year, I would have liked to have been more on the field,” he admitted. “It didn’t happen, for whatever reason, I was eager to get back on the pitch and play.

“Milan gave me that chance and now I’m here. For me it’s another chance to see familiar faces to show how I’ve developed.

“I know people have seen the games, but going back to Stamford Bridge where it all started is a chance to show myself again.”

Initially, Chelsea’s Champions League win under Thomas Tuchel meant they had little regrets about selling him for £25million. Yet, a year later, they have spent more than £150 million on three defenders.

None of that is Tomori’s concern, who insists he is not aiming for a speedy return to England.

Add: “Honestly I didn’t think about it” [returning to] England to be honest or too far into the future whether I stay here for the rest of my career or go back to England. I just look at it game by game, year by year.

“At the moment I have signed a new contract and I think that shows how happy I am, how comfortable I am and where I see myself in the coming years. But the Premier League is the best in the world, but for me it’s over this moment at AC Milan and in Serie A, learning the trade as a defender, where I feel comfortable and what’s best for me. I’m really happy here.”

Tomori is now using the skills he learned at Chelsea to try and knock them out of the Champions League, reminding England of his value to the national team in the future.