Levi Colwill transfer: Chelsea stance on sale amid Liverpool 'enquiries'

Chelsea are determined to keep hold of Levi Colwill this summer, with talks ongoing over a contract extension for the England Under-21s star amid enquiries from Liverpool.

With Liverpool's midfield rebuild beginning to take shape, talk in recent days has turned to the need for another centre back in Jurgen Klopp's first-team squad. While names like Micky van de Ven and Goncalo Inacio have been touted, Colwill is the now at the forefront of the gossip.

Where have the Levi Colwill rumours come from?

Football.london reported that the Reds have "enquired multiple times" about the 20-year-old centre-back's availability in recent days, while David Lynch got fans excited when he told Redmen TV: "It’s one that if they got even the slightest hint they could do a deal with Chelsea then they would pay a big fee for him."

Football.london's report, however, claims that Chelsea want to keep Colwill — having already rejected bids from Brighton — and tie him down to a new long-term contract. His current deal is due to expire in less than two years' time, and while there is an option to activate an extension by a further year, that will only come into effect if he plays a certain amount of games for the first-team.

READ MORE: Levi Colwill — Why Chelsea defender is a better fit for Liverpool than Josko Gvardiol

The Evening Standard's Nizaar Kinsella also claims that Chelsea's stance is that Colwill is not for sale, but that the player will talk to new manager Mauricio Pochettino before deciding his future.

Although a Chelsea academy product, Colwill is described as "ambitious" and will not let his connection to the Blues "cloud his judgement" in his decision making over a new deal. Should he reject the club's offer, Chelsea could find themselves facing a repeat of the situation that led to Mason Mount's exit to Manchester United this summer.

Though clearly highly rated at his boyhood club, it's unclear what assurances Pochettino will give Colwill over game time in the 2023/24 campaign, with the likes of Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile and Thiago Silva all vying for centre-back spots. It is also worth noting that Chelsea cannot offer any kind of European football next season.

Another factor in a transfer could be Colwill's interest in playing for Liverpool, should the concrete possibility arise. An image of Colwill wearing a Liverpool shirt as a child has been circulated on Twitter, as has an old interview in which he cites Steven Gerrard as his footballing hero.

How much would Levi Colwill cost?

There are no indications for how much a transfer would cost Liverpool. Chelsea's reported stance is that he is not for sale. However, that could change if the player opts against signing a new deal.

While no figures have yet been mentioned in relation to a Liverpool bid, reports claim that the Blues have already rejected bids of more than £30m from Brighton for Colwill.

It's not hard to believe a transfer for a young, highly rated English centre back of Colwill calibre could cost north of £75m — the figure Chelsea paid for Fofana and Liverpool spent on Virgil van Dijk — though that is pure speculation.