Fikayo Tomori: Liverpool's Last Chance for Defensive Reinforcement

Richard Hughes is heading for the exit at Liverpool at the end of the summer window, bound for Al-Hilal after a little over two years at Anfield.

His spell has been anything but dull. One record-breaking window that reshaped Liverpool’s squad. A handful of signings that never got close to justifying the outlay. Peaks and troughs, big swings, big risks.

If this is the end, it feels like it needs a statement. A final deal that lands with a thud, not a whimper. So far, that moment hasn’t arrived.

Fikayo Tomori might just be his last shot at it.

Tomori on AC Milan’s exit list

Liverpool’s defensive issues last season were glaring. Injuries ripped through the back line, form deserted key players, and the entire structure wobbled. The result: too many dropped points, too many chaotic afternoons, and a Champions League spot secured by the skin of their teeth.

Arne Slot paid the price. His short tenure ended with the sack, and Liverpool turned to Andoni Iraola to reset the project.

The Spaniard’s appointment already looks like a course correction. His principles echo the intensity and front-foot approach that defined the Jurgen Klopp era, and crucially, he has persuaded the club to back him in the market where it matters most. Ronald Araujo arrived to anchor a fragile defence and add authority to the back line.

Now another long-standing target has moved into view.

According to Fabrizio Romano, AC Milan have formally put Fikayo Tomori on the market.

“Fikayo Tomori has been included into AC Milan exit list today; he's available on the market,” Romano reported, adding that the decision followed talks between head coach Ruben Amorim and chairman Gerry Cardinale.

For Liverpool, the timing is striking. A long-admired centre-back, suddenly available, just as a defensive rebuild is underway and Hughes prepares to walk away.

A ready-made solution at the back

If Liverpool manage to land Tomori before Hughes departs, their defence would start to look locked in for the next phase of the club’s evolution.

The 28-year-old has spent the last few years testing himself in Serie A, learning the nuances of Italian defending at AC Milan. The club may now be ready to move him on, but that does not erase the qualities that took him there in the first place. There is still a reliable, high-level centre-back in there, one who has operated under real pressure in a demanding environment.

For Iraola, Tomori would bring something vital: experience with mobility. Like Araujo, he offers a blend of physicality and top-level know-how, the kind of profile that can steady a defence and give the manager the freedom to keep his aggressive style intact. His injury record also points to a player who is generally available, a key factor after a season in which Liverpool’s back line felt like a revolving door.

Then there is the homegrown factor. Tomori’s status as an English player is a major plus, instantly easing squad registration headaches and giving Liverpool more flexibility in future windows. In an era where homegrown slots carry a premium, that detail matters almost as much as his ability on the pitch.

Of course, that same status guarantees competition. Several English clubs are likely to circle, drawn by the chance to add a proven defender who ticks both performance and registration boxes.

But if it comes down to project, profile, and pulling power, Liverpool should fancy their chances.

For Hughes, it would be quite a parting gift: a defender who fits the manager, fits the squad rules, and helps close the chapter on last season’s defensive chaos. For Iraola, it could be another cornerstone in a back line built to withstand the demands of a new era at Anfield.