Fikayo Tomori says international allegiance ‘wasn’t England all the way’

Fikayo Tomori has revealed that he deliberated long and hard before committing his international future to England over Canada or Nigeria.

Choosing which country to represent has not been easy for the Chelsea defender, who is a new face in England’s squad for the Euro 2020 qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. Canada and Nigeria, who have failed to lure Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham from England, have courted Tomori. Tomori was born in Canada to Nigerian parents and his family moved to

Gravesend when he was baby. The 21year-old has since represented Canada and England at youth level but he is yet to feature in a competitive international at senior level, meaning his allegiance remains up for grabs.

“It wasn’t England all the way,” Tomori said. “I had certain people and certain things that I had to consider. I spoke to my family and people that I care about and that’s the decision I came to. So when England came calling, it was difficult to say no.

“England is obviously such a big nation, as well as Nigeria and Canada coming up, so I think I was going to be happy with whoever called me up, but it’s nice it is England.”

Tomori, who spent last season on loan at Derby, made his Chelsea debut in August and he admitted he did not expect to be called up by England so soon. “Last season, I wasn’t expecting to be there,” he said, “but I never really put a limit on saying I couldn’t do it … Now to be in the England squad, it’s a mad turnaround.”

Tomori was told by Frank Lampard that he was being called up by England straight after Chelsea’s win over Lille last Wednesday. “I knew a day before