Bayern Munich and Manchester City look set to apply pressure on Chelsea amid the increasingly uncertain future of Levi Colwill. The 19-year-old defender has been heavily linked with a number of clubs lately as he continues to impress on-loan at Brighton this season.
Colwill, who sees his contract at Stamford Bridge expire in 2025, has featured 12 times for the Seagulls in the Premier League, keeping three clean sheets. His impressive displays under Roberto De Zerbi have helped guide Brighton to seventh in the table, courting the interest of Europe's biggest clubs.
According to Simon Phillips, the England youth international has attracted the attention of City and Bayern while the Blues look to tie the wonderkid down to a new deal. The report states that the west Londoners want to extend Colwill's tenure until 2029, but negotiations - as it stands - have been informal.
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Chelsea reportedly see the young defender has a key piece to the club's project in the coming years. Colwill was pictured at Stamford Bridge in the stands in the Blues' clash against Crystal Palace, acquainting himself with new signing Mykhailo Mudryk.
With the 'next John Terry' set to return to Cobham at the end of the season, the appointment of Graham Potter could be pivotal in fending off interest in the defender. As quoted by Football Daily, Colwill said: "You could tell straight away from stepping in on day one that he’s such a big person to be around.
"In terms of the team, everyone respects him for what he does on and off the pitch. You could tell his levels were the highest they could be. I understand why Chelsea have gone for him."
Colwill then dropped a small transfer hint. He said: "It’s life, it’s football. If a player gets an offer from a team that’s also in the Champions League and Europe, they’re going to think about it. Obviously Graham took his opportunity to take it, so I can’t really say anything about that. I just wish him well."
After losing Jamal Musiala to the German giants a few years ago, Chelsea will be keen to prove that they've learned their lesson. Until the age of seven, the midfielder lived in Germany, winning several tournaments as a junior with TSV Lehnerz.
Shortly after, he travelled to Southampton where he would continue his development - but not for footballing reasons. His mum Carolin enrolled in a four-month Erasmus programme at the University of Southampton as part of a master's degree at Frankfurt's Goethe University.
Musiala was later picked up by Chelsea where he plied his trade at Cobham training ground until deciding to join Bayern Munich, aged just 16. And, it's fair to say that the Blues have been left to rue their decision to not do more to hold onto his services.
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