Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca confirmed that he considers signing a replacement for his injured centre back Levi Colwill to be a “priority”. Whether that stance is shared by the club’s recruitment department is another matter.
Colwill pulled up at the end of Monday’s training session clutching his knee. As it later transpired, the commanding defender had damaged his anterior cruciate ligament and was forced to undergo surgery which will likely rule him out for much of the 2025–26 campaign.
To the surprise of many, reports in the immediate aftermath of Colwill’s diagnosis claimed that Chelsea would not buy a new centre back to replace him. Recently acquired Jorrel Hato—who played almost exclusively at left back last season—was instead singled out as Colwill’s replacement.
Maresca openly questioned that stance.
“It is a priority for me,” the Chelsea boss told Channel 5 when discussing the prospect of signing a new defender. “Levi is a fantastic player. What we achieved last season is because of him. He played a lot of games with me, I love him. We are going to miss him.”
However, Maresca also tellingly added: “We are also trying to find different solutions.”
The Blues have been typically aggressive in this summer’s transfer market thus far, splashing north of £240 million ($322.8 million) on a fleet of new, largely attacking, arrivals.
Chelsea have also recouped more than £200 million from player sales this window, putting them in a strong financial position to continue buying. However, the focus appears to be on more forward-thinking recruits. Negotiations for Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho have been reportedly ramped up in recent days while there is the concrete hope that a deal for RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons can be also tied up.
The one defender Chelsea have been tentatively linked with, Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi, appears to be on the verge of a move to Liverpool. If anything, the Blues are closer to selling a centre back than bringing in a new one.
Renato Veiga saw a move to Atlético Madrid collapse earlier this summer but is still available for sale despite Colwill’s absence, Fabrizio Romano reports. The 22-year-old Portugal international is thought to be the subject of interest from “several clubs” with advanced discussions planned for the coming days.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Enzo Maresca Reveals Chelsea’s Next Transfer ‘Priority’.