Chelsea’s “insane” titan has seen his value skyrocket to £52m in a year
Chelsea’s academy starlet has become an integral part of Pochettino’s first-team plans this term.
Chelsea’s prodigious academy is one of the greatest in world football at churning out some of the most promising young talents on the planet.
The Blues have forged this legacy by investing in state-of-the-art facilities and the best equipment to ensure that youngsters have all the tools they need to become stars.
This was particularly prevalent in the 1990s as the west London giants watched arguably their greatest-ever defender, John Terry, come through their academy, assert his dominance at the heart of their defence and rack up an incredible 717 appearances across a 19-year association with the club.
Across his glittering career at Stamford Bridge, he became a rarity among the world of defenders at the time through his ability with the ball at his feet, underscored by the fact he’s the highest-scoring defender in Premier League history with 41 goals.
These days, being comfortable with the ball is imperative for any modern centre-back and Levi Colwill, who has been dubbed as the “next John Terry”, is certainly that in abundance.
How much Chelsea paid for Levi Colwill
Colwill, like Terry, attended Chelsea’s academy and graduated via their development center program at the age of nine.
His first taste of football was with Sunday league team City Central, where he played with the interesting Jamal Musiala.
Colwill’s constant physical presence with growth and his poise from an early age more than made up for any lack of indication of his skill.
The young player, who was a calm presence on the field and a physical specimen off it, had all the makings of the next big star to emerge from the club’s youth divisions; all he needed was a regular taste of senior football to help him grow in stature and skill.
In light of this, Colwill was loaned to Huddersfield Town during the 2021–2022 season following three appearances in the Papa John’s Trophy, helping the Terriers to the Championship play-off final.
The Englishman made 29 games and impressed, but his own goal caused his team to collapse at the last minute. Nevertheless, his projected transfer value (xTV) increased to €7.3m (£6.3m) in July 2022.
Levi Colwill’s transfer value at Brighton & Hove Albion
Colwill had an outstanding season in the Championship under Carlos Corberan’s direction, and accolades kept coming in during his time at Brighton & Hove Albion the previous season.
With an average age of 23.64, the Seagulls are a dynamic team, and the 6′ 2 behemoth fit right in with Roberto De Zerbi’s modern style.
Colwill, a dominant presence at the back and a master at spraying passes through the thirds, showed glimmers of his unwavering qualities on the South Coast, where he played in 17 league games and contributed to his team’s incredible sixth-place result.
In addition, his xTV increased even more, going from €7.3 million in July 2022 to €10.8 million (£9.3 million) in May of this year. At just 20 years old, the player appears ready to establish himself as a Chelsea first-team regular.
Levi Colwill’s value now
Colwill was going to be a major part of Mauricio Pochettino’s plans from the moment he came at Stamford Bridge. The Argentine coach called Colwill a “big talent” and a “great character”.
Antonio Mango has called Colwill “insane technically” for his 11 appearances this season. Colwill can play left back or center back and has demonstrated his skill with the ball at his feet.
This is evidenced by the fact that FBref has ranked him in the same ball-playing defender category as Jules Kounde, Alessandro Bastoni, and David Alaba due to his remarkable ball-playing skills and composure when in control.
He is the youngest player on that list, yet even at twenty-one, he is in the top 6% for shot-creating actions, the top 16% for progressive carries per ninety, and the top 9% for passes attempted in the top five leagues in Europe over the previous season.
Although he is almost flawless when he has the ball in his hands and exhibits a superb passing range for his age, his defensive play still needs work, as evidenced by the fact that he is ranked in the bottom 29% and bottom 24% for interceptions, respectively.
But given that his value has increased to an astounding €60 million (£52 million), according to CIES Football Observatory, Colwill is maturing quickly under Pochettino and has been a key component of their potent defense this season.
Chelsea’s season in numbers
Even though Chelsea’s offense has been clicking lately—scoring four goals in each of their matches against Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur—the Blues have been challenging to defeat this season.
As they say, you should always start at the back. Pochettino has done a great job of solidifying the spine of his club, as evidenced by their strong defensive analytics. This summer, he added Robert Sanchez, Axel Disasi, and Moises Caicedo, in particular.
Just five clubs have let up more expected goals (xG) than the Blues, according to Understat; their total of 16.63 puts them just under sides like Aston Villa, Newcastle United, and Manchester City.
Despite the earlier assertion regarding Colwill’s defensive prowess, the Englishman has had a monumental influence in maintaining a formidable defense that has only been pierced 16 times, five of which have occurred in the past two games.
The Englishman has flourished with the seasoned Thiago Silva, despite being used as a left back five times. The Argentine stated that the Englishman may become one of the best defenders in history.
The Brazilian has made significant progress in improving his defensive skills. This season, he ranks in the Premier League’s top 23% of defenders in tackles (1.83), a significant improvement over his 0.59 per game total from his time at Brighton the previous season.
Colwill could follow Terry as a generational defender for the Blues if he can maintain his upward trajectory, as seen by his remarkable statistics and current transfer value.