Chelsea have rejected a £30m bid for highly-rated young centre-back Levi Colwill, according to fresh update from journalist Jacob Steinberg.
Has Colwill had a good season?
The 20-year-old was sent out on loan to Brighton & Hove Albion last summer, in order to gain some valuable experience, rather than struggle for playing time at Stamford Bridge and potentially grow stagnant.
Colwill enjoyed an impressive season with the Seagulls, admittedly not always managing to play ahead of Lewis Dunk and Adam Webster, but still starting a total of 13 matches in the Premier League, and making 20 appearances, in all competitions. He played his part in the south coast club being one of the most aesthetically-pleasing teams in the division, with his ball-playing ability highlighted by an eye-catching 88.6% pass completion rate.
The young Englishman will be back at Chelsea this summer, however, and there is set to be interest in his signature, with his current Blues deal expiring in the summer of 2025. In fact, it already looks as though that is the case, following a new claim that has emerged.
Is Colwill set to stay at Chelsea?
Taking to Twitter, The Guardian's Steinberg confirmed that a big-money bid for Colwill has been turned down by Chelsea:
"Chelsea reject £30m Brighton bid for Levi Colwill and have no plans to sell him."
It is vital that the Blues do all they can to retain Colwill's services beyond this summer, considering what a massive prospect he is for many years to come, having been hailed as "fantastic" by former Huddersfield Town teammate Lewis O'Brien. He has been compared to John Terry in the past, too, and been tipped to be a future England international, showing the ability he possesses.
With the likes of Thiago Silva and Kalidou Koulibaly both ageing at the back, Mauricio Pochettino could view Colwill as the future of his defence and the fact that he was never afraid to give youth a chance during his Tottenham days – he brought through the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli – means that the player could have a perfect manager to work alongside.
There is still the threat that the five-cap England Under-21 international wants to leave Chelsea, however, should he not be promised a regular squad role next season, so the likes of Pochettino and Todd Boehly have a big job on their hands persuading him to stay put.
