Levi Colwill has enjoyed a stellar year which was crowned with the under-21s winning the European Championship for the first time in 39 years.
Colwill played at the heart of the back four alongside Taylor Harwood-Bellis and was a contender for player of the tournament having helped his country to victory without conceding a goal in the entire tournament.
Having played a huge role in the tournament, it’s not a surprise to learn that Mauricio Pochettino has planned talks with Colwill to discuss his future.
It’s likely that Chelsea will experience another transition year next season, with the complete overhaul of the squad still in process. So, there’s no better time to blood Colwill into the first team at Stamford Bridge and given Pochettino’s history of deploying young players and developing them, it could be an exciting future for the youngster.
Can Colwill fit into the first team at Chelsea?
Reece James, Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount all thrived in the Chelsea first team straight after a season in the Championship and with Colwill playing in the Premier League for Brighton last season, you’d expect him to be better prepared for the experience.
Colwill made 13 starts for the Seagulls and looked comfortable in each of his games.
According to FBRef, with the ball, he sat in the top 92 percentile for the entire division for progressive passes, as well as the top 99 percentile for passes attempted which showed he wasn’t scared of receiving the ball, and making incisive decisions when in possession.
Defensively he was comfortable as well, winning 3.32 aerial battles per 90 which saw him in the 95 percentile of the league.
These stats show he’s ready for first-team football and should at least be given a chance to showcase his quality. Considering his performance for under-21s, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him in the England squad in the next year or so.
