Chelsea are reportedly not considering buying another centre back to cover for the injured Levi Colwill, instead putting faith in one of the club’s new recruits.
Colwill’s 2025–26 campaign was derailed before Chelsea’s first pre-season friendly of the summer. The England international damaged his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during training and underwent surgery this week. If Colwill returns at all, it will not be until the latter stages of the season when he will likely be gently eased back into first-team action.
Enzo Maresca trusted Colwill more than any other centre back in his squad, handing the mature 22-year-old more than 3,700 minutes of football across all competitions last term. “I told him that if we achieve what we achieved last year, it is also because of him,” Maresca revealed before confirmation of Colwill’s injury was delivered. “He was a main player for us.”
The Chelsea boss also hinted that the club may be inclined to dip back into the transfer market should Colwill be unavailable for an extended period of time. Yet, that is not the plan outlined by Fabrizio Romano. The reigning club world champions are not expected to give in to rash panic and sign a new centre back. Maresca is thought to have “full trust” in his current batch of players, with summer recruit Jorrel Hato singled out as a potential replacement.
Hato signed from Ajax on Aug. 3, one day before Colwill pulled up towards the end of Chelsea’s training session clutching his knee. The 19-year-old Netherlands international is one of Europe’s brightest young defenders, bringing a sense of authority and composure in possession as well as a crucial element of versatility when it comes to his position.
Francesco Farioli almost exclusively deployed Hato as a left back last season but the left footer has ample experience in the middle of a backline—more than a third of his career appearances have come at centre back, per Transfermarkt.
Beyond Hato, Maresca is not exactly short of warm bodies for that particular role. There are eight senior centre backs currently on Chelsea’s books. Several are expected to be moved on this summer, but the likes of Benoît Badiashile and Wesley Fofana have made their intentions to stay in west London abundantly clear.
Maresca routinely turned to Trevoh Chalobah and Tosin Adarabioyo last term, although both players are right footed and so don’t offer the same passing angles as a naturally left-sided defender.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Chelsea Settle on Surprising ‘Plan’ After Levi Colwill Injury.
