City could make a move for Chelsea’s teenage defender
LEICESTER City must wait for Chelsea to make a decision over the future of defender Levi Colwill before entering a transfer battle with a number of Premier League rivals over his signature.
City are keen to bring in a new centre-back this summer as one of their transfer priorities, and it is understood that a left-sided player in the mould of Wesley Fofana is the club’s ideal profile. Colwill ticks those boxes.
The 19-year-old, left, has just enjoyed an impressive loan campaign with Huddersfield in the Championship, helping them to the play-off final, where he unfortunately scored an own goal that sent Nottingham Forest up. Now, he is waiting to discover what his future holds at parent club Chelsea.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has said Chelsea are yet to make a “final decision” on the teenager as their defence undergoes some work this summer.
With Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen both leaving on free transfers to Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively, they are seeking two new players for their back-line. They must then decide if they want to keep Colwill as another option, or sell him amid interest from Premier League clubs.
Romano named City as one of four sides who had enquired, alongside Crystal Palace, Brighton, and new boys Forest.
Despite Colwill’s talent, it is not unprecedented that he would be let go by Chelsea.
They sold Marc Guehi to Palace this time last year off the back of his promising loan spell in the Championship with Swansea.
Guehi is now a full England international.
City are seeking a strong, quick defender who is aggressive on the ground and in the air to bolster their ranks at the back.
Fofana and Jonny Evans are likely to be the club’s starting duo for the new season but Colwill could come in as the first-choice back-up, potentially with the view of taking over from Evans eventually.
Daniel Amartey is expected to provide further cover, but the futures of Caglar Soyuncu and Jannik Vestergaard are in doubt.
Soyuncu only has a year remaining on his contract and dropped down the pecking order late last season, while Vestergaard barely featured in 2022, his attributes at odds with City’s style.
However, the Dane has indicated he wants to fight for his place at the club.