Promising Chelsea wonderkid Levi Colwill has completed a loan move to fellow Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion.
Chelsea have made an official statement to confirm the departure of highly-rated defender Levi Colwill to fellow Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion on a season-long loan deal, as well as the permanent signing of Marc Cucurella, who moves in the opposite direction to Stamford Bridge.
It has previously been reported that Brighton & Hove Albion were initially hoping to land Colwill on a permanent basis, with Chelsea potentially inserting a canny buy-back clause. But the teenage wonderkid will only be exiting on another loan, with the Seagulls not getting an option to buy him permanently.
The 19-year-old prodigy has been with Chelsea since 2011 and has steadily progressed through the ranks at Cobham in the last couple of years. However, for all his potential, Colwill is yet to make his senior debut and was loaned out to Championship outfit Huddersfield Town last season to gain regular first-team action.
The Chelsea wonderkid enjoyed a successful stint at the Kirklees Stadium, making 32 appearances in all competitions. The Terriers ultimately lost out on promotion to Nottingham Forest in the play-off final, but Colwill stood out with his talent in the second tier.
Welcome to #BHAFC, @Levi_Colwill! ? pic.twitter.com/vag7wb1Zju
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) August 5, 2022
Needless to say, the 19-year-old has been the subject of interest from a number of Premier League clubs following his return to Chelsea. However, Brighton & Hove Albion have won the race to give him his first taste of Premier League action.
Graham Potter and the Brighton hierarchy hold the Chelsea talent in high regard and have identified him as their priority target this summer. His signature is said to have been critical to Cucurella making the switch to Chelsea. The Spaniard had been heavily linked with a move to Manchester City. Chelsea, though, have snatched the ex-Barcelona defender at the eleventh hour.
Naturally, the departure of Cucurella would leave a gaping hole in the Seagulls’ left-hand side, but the arrival of Colwill could help them offset that. A natural centre-back, the Chelsea wonderkid has also made a handful of appearances at left-back, including as captain of the England Under-19s.
A good tackler who is also capable of bringing the ball out of defence and distributing the play, Colwill should fit in well at the Amex. Potter has a reputation for improving young players, and the Chelsea starlet could benefit from regular playtime under the English tactician.
From Chelsea’s perspective, the exclusion of the purchase option means Thomas Tuchel clearly rates the youngster and will be hoping that he will return with more experience under his belt. The teenage wonderkid is likely to get minutes in a similar setup to the one Tuchel implements at Stamford Bridge, with Potter preferring to play a back three and attractive, possession-based brand of football.
