Fikayo Tomori could finally see minutes after the international break, with Milan's congested fixture list forcing Ruben Amorim into rotation, but nothing has changed about the bigger picture: these look like the Englishman's final months at the club.
Tomori's summer was one of the stranger sagas in Serie A. Gerry Cardinale and Amorim told him to find a new club, according to Calciomercato.com, only to reinstate him on 2 September after Milan failed to secure any last-minute defensive reinforcements. He went from being pushed out the door to being back in the squad, all within the same window.
His last competitive appearance dates back to 24 May, the home defeat to Cagliari that cost Milan a Champions League place on the final day of last season. That result proved to be a turning point in his relationship with the club. Massimiliano Allegri had already flagged poor performances towards the end of the campaign and what he described as unwelcome behaviour in training. Cardinale, after receiving reports from Milanello, placed Tomori among those held responsible for the season's sporting failure and put him up for sale. The right offers never materialised.
Since being brought back into the fold, Tomori has been named in the matchday squad consistently but is yet to step onto the pitch. That could change soon. Milan face seven fixtures before the end of October, and Calciomercato.com report that the Europa League trip to Red Bull Salzburg on 15 October is the likeliest opportunity for his return. He may also feature in Serie A matches during that run, given that he currently offers more defensive reliability than Filippo Terracciano, who started against Benfica but struggled.
Tomori turned down Fulham, Coventry, and West Ham over the summer and waited for Aston Villa, a move that never came. He got what he wanted on the surface, staying at Milan, but the reality is more complicated. His contract expires in July, and according to Calciomercato.com, these will be the final months of his time at the club.
Whether Amorim gives him a proper run or simply uses him to manage the schedule will say a lot about how the next few weeks play out, but the ending itself already looks written.