Gary Cahill names the one young Chelsea centre-back he has ‘enjoyed’ watching under Mauricio Pochettino

Gary Cahill says he enjoys watching Levi Colwill during Chelsea games

Former Chelsea player Gary Cahill has lauded Levi Colwill’s performances, expressing his admiration for the young defender’s contributions to the Blues. Colwill, a product of Chelsea’s academy, has garnered significant praise and is widely regarded as one of the club’s most promising defensive talents.

Colwill’s rise to prominence saw him enjoy a successful loan spell at Brighton & Hove Albion last season, where he demonstrated his ability to compete at the Premier League level under the guidance of manager Roberto De Zerbi. Impressed by his development, Chelsea opted to retain Colwill for the current campaign.

Under the management of Mauricio Pochettino, Colwill has been a mainstay in the team, featuring in every game. However, despite his natural position as a centre-back, Pochettino has deployed him as a left-back throughout the season due to injuries to regular starters Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella. Despite the return of both fullbacks from injury, Pochettino has continued to show faith in Colwill’s versatility by deploying him in the left-back role.

Cahill has been enthralled with his performance this campaign and revealed he likes watching Colwill play for the Blues, speaking to Standard Sport, he further commented:

“I’ve enjoyed watching Levi [Colwill], who is developing all the time,” he says. He has got bags and bags of potential.’’

Is Colwill the next famous academy player of Chelsea?

Cahill’s recognition of Colwill’s talent holds particular weight given his own background as a former defender. When an experienced player in the defensive ranks acknowledges the potential of a rookie centre-back, it signifies a genuine belief in the player’s abilities and potential to excel at the highest level. In the case of Colwill, receiving praise from someone like Cahill underscores the youngster’s promising future and suggests that he possesses the attributes necessary to establish himself as a standout performer for the club.

Colwill’s trajectory suggests that he has a remarkably high ceiling and could indeed emerge as a star for Chelsea in the years to come. With his talent, versatility, and the backing of experienced figures like Cahill, Colwill has all the makings of a key player in Chelsea’s defensive setup and a cornerstone for the club’s success in the future.

Colwill’s performances this season have been commendable, particularly considering the various positions he has been asked to fill. Despite his versatility, it’s worth noting that as a young defender, he still has areas to refine and improve upon as he continues to develop. However, at just 21 years old, he already possesses a considerable amount of experience, showcasing maturity and composure beyond his years.

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With his talent and potential, Colwill is certainly poised to follow in the footsteps of other illustrious Chelsea academy graduates. His ability to adapt to different roles on the pitch while maintaining a high level of performance speaks volumes about his versatility and footballing intelligence. As he continues to hone his skills and iron out any remaining flaws in his game, Colwill undoubtedly has the makings of becoming the next celebrated product of Chelsea’s renowned youth system.

Chelsea turned down offers from Brighton and Liverpool to keep him in the team because they were aware of his potential. Hopefully, Colwill keeps up his steady progress in the team, as Mauricio Pochettino already favours him as the starting defender.