According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the contracts of both Fikayo Tomori and R. Loftus-Cheek are set to expire in June 2027. Fikayo Tomori may leave in January, while R. Loftus-Cheek is expected to depart on a free transfer next summer.

For Fikayo Tomori, his season has never truly begun. For R. Loftus-Cheek, it appears to be winding down. AC Milan has 27 players in their squad and is competing across three competitions, so the coach cannot be too selective. Both players will continue to have opportunities to play, and injuries or suspensions to teammates could create chances for them. However, it seems their time at AC Milan is coming to an end.

High Wage Burden

Some issues are immediate, while others point to medium-term trends. The latter is particularly clear: both players' contracts expire in June 2027 and will not be renewed. At that point, Fikayo Tomori and R. Loftus-Cheek will be free to find new clubs, and AC Milan will no longer bear the burden of their combined salary of nearly 10 million euros per year.

But what will happen until then? Their situations are different. Fikayo Tomori has returned to the squad after being officially placed on the list of players to be released. After confirming he could not leave Milanello, Amorim decided to reintegrate him into the team. Previously, the club had not even assigned him a squad number.

Psychologically, this situation is clearly delicate. How committed will a player be after being excluded from the coaching staff's plans? What mindset will he have during weekly training sessions? How can the relationship between coach and player survive after the coach publicly stated weeks ago that excluded players would not be reinstated, only to change his mind?

Profile

Although Fikayo Tomori is not in peak form as he was in the championship-winning season, he still has some value. He has experience and a history in European football, but his profile is not the type that Amorim favors for his primary center-backs. Even after Tomori's return, when Gila was rested in the Benfica match, Amorim chose Thiaw instead.

As a result, Fikayo Tomori has not played this season. Even if he gets opportunities later, his situation is unlikely to change. If conditions are right, he could leave early in January, which would save AC Milan at least half a year's wages.

Comparison

R. Loftus-Cheek is also expected to leave in the summer transfer window. However, given the chaos in the attacking midfield position and the uncertainty about who would leave or arrive, Amorim decided to keep him in the squad.

This English midfielder played in nearly every pre-season friendly and became a key option for the attacking midfield role in the early competitive season. He certainly played his part, and Amorim even praised him publicly: "He has everything. He can pass the ball in the air very well and can link play with the team, but he should be more involved in the game."

This is not the first time R. Loftus-Cheek has been used in an attacking midfield role rather than his natural central midfield position. However, throughout his time at AC Milan, except for a few brief months, he has never maintained consistency. Both his overall form and match-to-match performance have been insufficient, and his physical agility does not align well with his tall frame. In areas requiring speed and quick thinking, he struggles to find space.

To date, he has played five matches, starting in three. As the attacking midfield position becomes clearer, Amorim has begun to favor other teammates. R. Loftus-Cheek has started only once in Milan's last four matches. Unlike Fikayo Tomori, there are no signs he will leave in January. He is expected to depart next summer.

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