Aston Villa's attempt to sign Fikayo Tomori ended when the defender rejected a move to the West Midlands during the closing stages of the summer transfer window, according to Sport Witness. The report, first published on 3 September, states that Villa made enquiries for the 28-year-old while he appeared to be surplus to requirements at AC Milan.
Tomori had been left out of the squad for the opening two Serie A fixtures under manager Ruben Amorim, prompting his representatives to explore options elsewhere. Sport Witness notes that the player's entourage travelled to London to hold negotiations, initially with Fulham stepping forward late in the window to pursue a deal.
Those talks ultimately collapsed. The London club could not agree personal terms with the centre-back and also encountered difficulties reaching an agreement with Milan. Villa's interest met a similar fate shortly beforehand, with Tomori reportedly turning down the prospect of relocating to Birmingham.
Once the Fulham approach fell through, Amorim contacted Tomori directly to inform him that he would be brought back into the fold. Citing Gazzetta dello Sport, Sport Witness adds that Milan's upper management supported the decision to retain the Englishman, who had continued training individually throughout the period he was excluded.
An injury to Matteo Gabbia on deadline day, which is expected to sideline him for several weeks, further underlined the need for defensive depth at San Siro. Milan also attempted to sign Tiago Gabriel but were unsuccessful in that pursuit, leaving Tomori as a key option for the coming months.
With the transfer window having closed on 1 September, Premier League clubs cannot complete any new signings until the January 2027 window opens. Villa's search for additional defensive reinforcements will therefore have to wait until the new year.
