Transfer Centre

Liverpool 'still keeping tabs on Chelsea's Levi Colwill'

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 19 January 2024

Liverpool 'still keeping tabs on Levi Colwill'

Liverpool reportedly still hold an interest in Chelsea defender Levi Colwill, whom they tried to sign last summer before the 20-year-old signed a new Blues deal.

Liverpool reportedly retain an interest in signing Chelsea defender Levi Colwill after trying and failing to lure him to Anfield last summer.

The 20-year-old was hot property following a successful loan spell with Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022-23, and his stock also rose thanks to England's Under-21 Euros triumph in the summer.

Colwill played five of England's six games in the tournament, in which Lee Carsley's men conquered the continent without conceding a single goal, and Liverpool were supposedly pushing to bring him to Anfield.

However, having been promised by Mauricio Pochettino that he would slot straight into his system, Colwill committed his future to Chelsea by signing a new long-term deal until 2029 with the option of a further 12 months.

True to his word, Pochettino has used Colwill on 26 occasions this season, including in 20 of Chelsea's 21 Premier League games, and the defender has registered one goal and one assist in top-flight action so far.

Chelsea's Noni Madueke celebrates scoring their second goal with Levi Colwill and Malo Gusto on December 30, 2023 © Reuters

Colwill has largely been forced to play at left-back due to injuries to Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella, though, and Pochettino is already well-stocked in central defence, where Axel Disasi, Thiago Silva and Benoit Badiashile are all battling for minutes.

Colwill has come under fire for perceived poor displays in his unnatural left-back position this season, and according to talkSPORT, Liverpool have not given up hope of prising him away from West London.

The 20-year-old was allegedly open to exploring a transfer elsewhere in the most recent summer window, only to have a change of heart once he received assurances from Pochettino over his playing time.

However, the report adds that Chelsea may have no choice but to consider suitable offers for their academy graduate, whose sale would be a major benefit to the Blues in terms of Financial Fair Play.

Colwill's home-grown status means that his sale would go down as pure profit in the Profit and Sustainability records, and Chelsea are said to be weighing up a potential exit for Tottenham Hotspur-linked Conor Gallagher for the same reason.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp pictured on December 26, 2023 © Reuters

From a playing perspective, Chelsea may be reluctant to let Colwill depart due to the uncertain futures of Silva and Chalobah, the latter of whom has supposedly been told that he is free to leave the club in 2024.

Meanwhile, Silva - who turns 40 in September - is now in the last six months of his contract at Stamford Bridge, and his exit would open the door for Colwill to earn more minutes in his preferred central position.

Liverpool could be in the market for a new defender over the summer if Joel Matip - who is expected to miss the rest of the season with an ACL injury - also seeks pastures new when his deal runs its course in June.

With Joe Gomez covering at full-back due to injuries to Andrew Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas, Jurgen Klopp has been left with Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Jarell Quansah as his only central options during the hectic winter period.

The Reds are still expected to pursue a new centre-back in the summer rather than in the current market, but Feyenoord's David Hancko is another name on their radar, as confirmed by the Slovakian's agent.