Chelsea have dealt Liverpool a major blow to their hopes of signing Levi Colwill this summer. The 20-year-old defender has been heavily linked with an exit from Stamford Bridge following his meteoric rise to superstardom while on loan at Brighton.
Colwill, who sees his contract with the Blues expire in 2025, featured 17 times for the Seagulls in the Premier League last season, helping Roberto De Zerbi's side keep five clean sheets. The England Under-21 international guided Brighton to a Europa League qualification spot ahead of Tottenham and, his parent club, Chelsea.
football.london understands that the west Londoners have been very impressed with his progress and he's expected to be a key player under Mauricio Pochettino. However, Chelsea may find it difficult to hold onto Colwill after De Zerbi publicly revealed his intent to re-sign him.
According to the Evening Standard, the Blues have offered the youngster an extension but he wants assurances from Mauricio Pochettino over game-time before deciding his future. The former Tottenham boss, who will officially begin his new role at Cobham next week, already has a wealth of options at the back ahead of next season, and Colwill does not want to play second fiddle.
The report states that Brighton submitted a £40million bid earlier this month, which was swiftly rejected by Chelsea. With the west Londoners in the market for a new midfielder this summer, the two clubs are expected to meet in the coming days to discuss a potential deal for Moises Caicedo.
The Evening Standard outline that any attempt from the Seagulls to include Colwill in a swap deal will be turned down. While Brighton have struggled to get their hands on the Englishman, Liverpool are reportedly trying their luck.
According to 90min, Jurgen Klopp's side have enquired about his availability in the last couple of weeks, but Chelsea quickly shot down their advances. The report states that Colwill has also been subject to an enquiry from Manchester City but, as aforementioned, he's not for sale.
READ MORE: Chelsea news and transfers LIVE: 'Deal closed', Caicedo 'final stages', Pulisic exit, Colwill deal
In an interview with the BBC, Colwill was quizzed on his maiden season in the Premier League and insisted that the best is yet to come. The Chelsea defender said: "I'm getting loads of praise but I'm still making mistakes that not everyone sees because I'm getting so much praise. I know I can be much better and have so much more to come."
