Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Levi Colwill suffered a potentially serious injury during his side’s first pre-season training session on Monday.
The England international was an integral player for Chelsea last season, racking up 35 Premier League starts, but he is now expected to miss the start of the new campaign through injury.
“We need to wait, we don’t know yet [what the specific injury is]. It was in the first session on Monday, just in the last minutes of the session. He felt something and, as I said, we need to wait and then we see.”
When asked if Chelsea will be required to sign a new centre-back as a result of Colwill’s injury, Maresca said: “It depends. We need to wait and then we see. But, as I said, we know each other from last year and, you know in our way, how important Levi has been.
“I spoke with him yesterday and I told him that if we achieve what we achieved last year, it is also because of him – and he was a main player for us.”
Chelsea still have Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile, Aaron Anselmino, Josh Acheampong and summer signing Jorrel Hato as centre-back options at the club, while Axel Disasi and Renato Veiga haven’t been offloaded yet and could feasibly be reintegrated into the first-team fold.
However, the Blues were eager to sign Dean Huijsen before his move to Real Madrid in June, and Marc Guehi continues to be linked with a Stamford Bridge return. As a result, a centre-back signing could be on the cards if Colwill’s injury is deemed to be a long-term one.
Although Maresca refused to confirm whether Chelsea will bring another central defender to the club before Transfer Deadline Day, fans were quick to demand action after learning of Colwill’s injury.
What have Chelsea fans said?
Maresca says Colwill is injured and they don’t know how bad it is… we need to sign a CB now.
— Felix (@FelixJohnston_) August 7, 2025
Chelsea need to sign another CB. We need a blend of quality & leadership for when Colwill is out and there’s going to be times where Fofana and Colwill aren’t on the pitch together.
I’m not doing T4 races anymore, we need to progress.
— CFCDaily (@CFCDaily) August 7, 2025
We need to sign a CB ASAP. Fofana is on a part time contract with the NHS & Colwill is now injured.
— Dubois (@CFC_Dubois) August 7, 2025
Which defender on the market plays like colwill ?
— OB (@CFC_OBED) August 7, 2025
Lucas Beraldo to replace Colwill please and thank you 👍🏽 https://t.co/4BXp4or7jo
— AK 🇮🇪 (@CFCAK) August 7, 2025
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