Impressive Chelsea loanee in line to make senior England squad

Loaned out Chelsea defender Levi Colwill in contention for the upcoming England squad

According to a report at The Athletic (subscription required), England manager Gareth Southgate is giving serious consideration to offering a national team call-up to loaned-out Chelsea defender Levi Colwill.

The 19-year-old, who is on loan from Chelsea to Brighton and Hove Albion for the season, has been an integral part of Roberto De Zerbi’s team. His excellent performance against a hapless Liverpool was an indication of the progress he has made in the last few months on the south coast.

Despite starting the campaign on the bench, Colwill has started the last five league games. So, his timing couldn’t be any better as we get closer to the March international break where England play their Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine.

Having decided to stay as an England boss despite the quarter-final exit in the World Cup to France, Southgate is interested in offering young players a chance to come into the team and showcase their talent. Colwill being a left-footed centre-back offers a different dimension to the team.

Last week, The Athletic reported that the current England U-21 international is part of the long-term plans at Chelsea despite the club signing Benoit Badiashile in the January window. His contract at Stamford Bridge runs until the summer of 2025 at the moment (Transfermarkt).

It is good to see that the England manager is considering giving youngsters like Colwill a chance. The 19-year-old has been through the different age groups at Chelsea and spent a season on loan at Huddersfield. His development as a player is of no surprise.

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For him though, the task is to stay as consistent as possible from now till the end of this season. Once that happens, not only a place in the England squad but also a starting place in the Chelsea team would be a possibility.