Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori is being lined up for a loan move to Premier League rivals Leeds United, according to reports.
Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa ruled out a permanent deal for a new defender this week, but the door has been left ajar for a loan move to strengthen their depleted back four.
Football Insider claims England defender Tomori is being considered for such a move, as Bielsa looks to bolster a defence shorn of the services of summer signings Robin Koch and Diego Llorente, as well as Gaetano Berardi, by long-term injuries.
Tomori has featured in just one of Chelsea’s 18 Premier League and Champions League fixtures this campaign and a loan move could be the ideal option for both the 22-year-old and Frank Lampard to give him much-needed game time in the top flight.
Chelsea are determined to keep their young defender and believe he will develop into a high-calibre centre-half in the long term.
Talks over a season-long loan to West Ham came to nothing in early October after the Tomori decided to stay at Stamford Bridge and fight for his place.
But Kurt Zouma and summer signing Thiago Silva have cemented their positions as Lampard’s first choice centre-back partnership, with Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger favoured as back-up.
Two of Tomori’s three appearances this season have come in the League Cup and he has failed to make the matchday squad for Chelsea’s last seven Premier League outings.
However, talkSPORT claim that the Blues have already agreed a January loan deal with Rennes for Tomori.
The report states that Chelsea have agreed a loan deal for the rest of the season to bolster their good relationship with the Ligue 1 side following the summer signing of Senegalese keeper Edouard Mendy.