EPL

Chelsea not willing to listen to offers for Levi Colwill amid continued interest

By Sports Desk July 06, 2023

Levi Colwill will not be leaving Chelsea this summer in spite of continued interest from Liverpool and Brighton, the PA news agency understands.

The club are not willing to entertain offers for the 20-year-old defender, who starred for England Under-21s as they beat Israel 3-0 on Wednesday to advance to the European Championship final in Georgia.

He is currently contracted to Chelsea until the summer of 2024 with an option of another year if certain criteria are met.

Colwill spent last season on loan at Brighton where he made 22 appearances and established himself as a Premier League player as the Seagulls qualified for Europe.

Brighton had been keen to sign the defender permanently, but PA understands Chelsea are not prepared to listen to offers, including from Jurgen Klopp’s side who reportedly made a fresh enquiry this week.

It is also understood that Christian Pulisic’s proposed move to AC Milan is yet to be agreed with the two clubs still apart with their valuation of the player.

The United States international is surplus to requirements under Mauricio Pochettino and has also been the subject of interest from Ligue 1 side Lyon.

The French side have offered something closer to Chelsea’s valuation but it is believed the 24-year-old favours a move to San Siro.

The club confirmed on Thursday that Cesar Azpilicueta has ended his 11-year stay in west London – with the 33-year-old reportedly having agreed a return to Spain to join Atletico Madrid.

It means one of Pochettino’s first tasks as manager will be to appoint a new captain, with regular stand-in from last season Mateo Kovacic having been sold to Manchester City.

Azpilicueta made more than 500 appearances for the club since joining from Marseille in 2012 and established himself as a favourite at Stamford Bridge, winning the Premier League in 2015 and 2017 as well as leading the side to victory in the Champions League in 2021.

An FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League winner, he appeared in a club-record 13 major cup finals.

Co-controlling owner Todd Boehly told the club’s website: “Coaches and team-mates past and present have trusted (Azpilicueta) to lead by example as captain.

“He has done so immaculately on and off the pitch, something for which we are grateful.”

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