Chelsea are facing a battle to keep hold of academy prospect Levi Colwill, with Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace submitting enquiries for the 19-year-old defender.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea will be forced to make a decision on the future of Levi Colwill this summer. The 19-year-old defensive prodigy has become a sought-after prospect in the market, with a plethora of English clubs including Crystal Palace and Premier League new boys Nottingham Forest interested in securing his services.
A centre-back by trade, Colwill has been a part of the Chelsea youth setup since 2011, when he was just eight. He has played the entirety of his youth career in west London, working his way up the ranks before landing a promotion to the reserve side during the summer of 2020.
Colwill made his professional breakthrough during the 2021/22 campaign while on loan at Huddersfield Town. The defender featured in 29 Championship matches, making a solid impression with his imposing 1.87m frame and a dogged defensive mentality that helped the Terriers finish third in the league table.
Unfortunately, Huddersfield missed out on promotion after bowing out in the playoffs. But Colwill appears to have guaranteed game-time in the Premier League next season, thanks to his consistent performances at Huddersfield.
Nottingham Forest, for one, have showcased an interest in the young central defender. After recently completing the deal to sign Taiwo Awoniyi, the Premier League new-boys are now keen on shoring up their options in the defensive unit, as evidenced by their pursuit of Liverpool’s Neco Williams.
Nottingham Forest, though, face stiff competition from Crystal Palace in the race to sign Colwill. The Eagles have proven themselves to be an ideal destination for budding young footballers, with the likes of Marc Guehi, Tyrick Mitchell and Conor Gallagher making their breakthroughs under Patrick Vieira this past season.
The future of Colwill remains in the hand of Chelsea. The report suggests the Blues are going to sign two centre-backs in the summer, with Thomas Tuchel already prioritising a move for Matthijs de Ligt.
Under such circumstances, it will be a surprise to see the young defender remain at Stamford Bridge, as he is likely to favour a move to Nottingham or Crystal Palace. Both the clubs are in a position to offer Colwill regular game-time, with Nottingham, in particular, appearing to be an excellent destination for the 19-year-old defensive prodigy.
