Levi Colwill signs a six-year contract with Chelsea as the Blues fend off interest from Liverpool and Brighton in keeping the highly rated defender at Stamford Bridge
- Levi Colwill has signed a six-year contract with Chelsea worth more than £100,000 a week
- The 20-year-old is expected to get plenty of playing opportunities next season
- Brighton and Liverpool were keen to sign him, but he will stay at Chelsea
Highly rated defender Levi Colwill has signed a new six-year contract with Chelsea.
The 20-year-old was loaned out to Brighton last season and the Seagulls were keen to sign him on a permanent basis this summer.
They had £30 million and £40 million bids rejected by the Blues, while Liverpool also expressed interest in signing the 20-year-old.
But Colwill has now tied his long-term future to Chelsea by signing a new contract until 2029, with the option to extend it for a further 12 months, and is expected to earn more than £100,000 a week.
Colwill explained his decision and revealed that talks with manager Mauricio Pochettino had convinced him to stay at Chelsea.
Levi Colwill has signed a new long-term contract to commit his future to Chelsea
Brighton were keen to bring Colwill back to the south coast, but Chelsea rejected two bids
It has always been an easy decision,” Colwill told Chelsea’s official website.
“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve only known Chelsea. I spoke to the manager and he gave me the reassurance that I needed. He has spoken to me, not only as a player, but also as a person. It has made a big difference.’
Chelsea’s co-sports directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley were also delighted to see the new deal go through.
They added: ‘Levi is an outstanding player who has risen to every challenge in his career so far. We are delighted that he will be staying at Chelsea for years to come.
“His journey from the academy to the first team is a testament to his talent, dedication and determination. Everyone at the club is now looking forward to seeing him flourish at Stamford Bridge in the coming seasons.”
The youngster is expected to get quite a few playing chances and get ahead of his main competition as fellow left center back Benoit Badiashile remains sidelined with a serious hamstring injury.
It was initially suggested that Chelsea’s £40 million move for Monaco’s Axel Disasi could affect Colwill’s future.
But it is clear that the decision to sign the Frenchman is linked to Wesley Fofana’s absence due to a long-term knee injury.
Disasi will cover right-back center while Colwill will battle for a starting spot on the opposite side of the central pair.
Levi Colwill is expected to have first-team opportunities at Chelsea this season
Trevoh Chalobah is the most likely defender to leave this summer and Chelsea are ready to listen to offers.
He is valued at £45 million by the club and has attracted interest from Inter Milan and West Ham.
Colwill was part of the victorious England Under-21 side that won the European Championship this summer, and will now look to earn his first senior cap.
Colwill trained with Gareth Southgate’s men at the end of last season and has just under 12 months to claim a spot in the squad for next summer’s European Championships in Germany.