Chelsea
defender Fikayo Tomori called off a season-long loan move to West Ham
minutes before the transfer window closed.
With a move away from Stamford Bridge having failed to materialise for
fellow centre-back Antonio Rudiger, Chelsea were willing to allow Tomori to
spend the season with their London rivals.
However, with a deal between the two clubs - that involved a 'huge' loan fee
- agreed, Tomori decided just 10 minutes before the transfer window closed
at 11pm on Monday that he would prefer to stay and fight for his place at
Chelsea.
West Ham had been looking to strengthen defensively despite having recorded
emphatic back-to-back Premier League victories - with clean sheets - against
Wolves and Leicester.
David Moyes' side had previously been linked with Marseille centre-back Duje
Caleta-Car, with the Hammers having lodged a £20m bid for the Croatia
defender over the weekend.
Frank Lampard will now have five centre-backs in his squad this season, with
summer signing Thiago Silva, Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christensen currently
appearing to be ahead of Tomori and Rudiger in the pecking order.
Rudiger had appeared the more likely departure on deadline day, but a deal
was never agreed despite interest from Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and AC
Milan.
While Rudiger has yet to make an appearance for Chelsea this season, Tomori
has started both of Chelsea's Carabao Cup ties, and made a Premier League
appearance as a substitute against Liverpool.
Tomori is understood to be highly regarded by Lampard, who he spent the
2018/19 season on loan under in the Championship at Derby.
The 22-year-old was called up to the England squad on two separate occasions
last season, making his debut in a 4-0 victory in Kosovo, but has been left
out of each of Gareth Southgate's selections since.
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