Chelsea's Fikayo Tomori joins Brighton on loan until end of season

Fikayo Tomori, the Canada-born defender who once broke Diego Costa's nose in training, is heading to the United Kingdom's southern coast.

On Monday, Chelsea announced Tomori joined Brighton & Hove Albion on loan until the end of season, marking his first spell away from Stamford Bridge.

Tomori, 19, made his Premier League debut on the final matchday of the 2015-16 Premier League season, taking the pitch in the 60th minute of Chelsea's 1-1 draw versus Leicester City and replacing Branislav Ivanovic. The teenager can operate as a centre-back and a right-back, and is part of England's under-20s.

"He is a highly rated young full-back, by both Chelsea and England; he is predominantly a right-back but he can play in any position across the back four, and will give us good defensive cover for the first team for the second half of the season," Chris Hughton, Brighton's manager, said.

"Currently we have a few minor injury issues in the full-back positions, so his arrival will also allow us to send Rob Hunt out on loan to gain valuable playing experience; at this stage of Rob's development, it will benefit his long-term progression to be playing regular senior football."

A regular in Chelsea's under-23s over the past two seasons, the adolescent helped the Blues win the FA Youth Cup two years in a row. At the international level, he is eligible to represent Canada, England, and Nigeria.

Brighton is second in the Championship, one point behind Newcastle United.