TOMORI’S WORLD

Recalled Fikayo is on fire at Milan and a must to replace injured Maguire

FIKAYO TOMORI has earned his England recall after undergoing a perfect “football education”.

Gareth Southgate praised the former Chelsea defender for wanting to push himself by going abroad to join Italian giants AC Milan.

And Southgate believes more young English players should follow suit.

Tomori (right), 23, has already won a senior cap back in 2019, but his performances in the Champions League this season have earned him rave reviews from Southgate and his assistant Steve Holland.

England boss Southgate said: “For a football education as a defender, there is probably nowhere better to learn than in Italy, frankly. So he’s really impressed us. We were watching him closely last season.

“And now, with crowds back in and being able to assess him under that pressure of playing in the San Siro every week where you have got to win, they are top of the league and there are big Champions League nights – against Atletico Madrid and at Anfield.

“He’s come through all those tests really well. He’s impressed us a lot. We have seen more players in the last four or five years go abroad and play than probably ever before and at different levels. It’s quite often been younger ones going to Germany. But, with Fikayo and Tammy Abraham now moving to Italy and Kieran Trippier in Spain, I think it’s a great life experience for them and can only make them more rounded people, which will help their football as well.”

Tomori has been excellent for Milan, has adapted well to life in Italy, is super smart and is also learning a new way of life and different culture. If you put all that together, it helped him get the nod to replace injured Harry Maguire, ahead of Ben White.

Reece James and Mason Mount were both included, despite carrying knocks, in the expectation they should be fit for their clubs this weekend.

Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe, Brentford’s Ivan Toney and Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi were also name-checked as being on the radar.

But Southgate has also stayed loyal to Manchester City’s John

Stones, who is yet to play for his club this season, but keeps his place, largely as a reward for his Euros performances.

His lack of playing time is a concern for England as, even though Andorra should be a formality in the first World Cup qualifier, Hungary at Wembley will be more difficult.

But Stones played against Hungary and Poland in the last round of fixtures and will be grateful for minutes this time.

Southgate said: “With John, it’s not ideal that he’s not had football. He had the two 90s with us and did very well in September so he’s not without football this season and he’s going to get football with City.

“So we probably have to be a little bit careful of how many minutes we expect of him across these two matches because they are both important games.

“But we also have to make sure we get the best possible performances from John.”