Chelsea Unveil Shocking Backup Strategy Following Colwill's Devastating Injury Blow

Chelsea are reportedly not planning to pursue another central defender to compensate for Levi Colwill's injury, instead placing confidence in one of their recent signings.

Colwill's 2025–26 season was disrupted before Chelsea's opening pre-season match of the summer. The England defender suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during a training session and had surgery this week. Should Colwill make a comeback, it won't be until the final months of the campaign when he'll likely be gradually reintroduced to first-team duties.

Enzo Maresca relied on Colwill more than any other central defender in his roster, giving the accomplished 22-year-old over 3,700 minutes of playing time across all tournaments last season. "I informed him that if we accomplished what we did last year, it's partly due to his contributions," Maresca stated before Colwill's injury was officially announced. "He was a key player for our team."

The Chelsea manager also suggested that the club might consider returning to the transfer market if Colwill remains sidelined for a prolonged duration. However, that's not the strategy outlined by Fabrizio Romano. The current club world champions aren't expected to succumb to hasty decisions and acquire a new central defender. Maresca is believed to have "complete confidence" in his existing group of players, with summer addition Jorrel Hato highlighted as a possible substitute.

Hato joined from Ajax on Aug. 3, just one day before Colwill sustained his injury during the final stages of Chelsea's training session while grabbing his knee. The 19-year-old Netherlands defender is among Europe's most promising young talents, offering leadership qualities and calmness in possession along with valuable positional flexibility.

Francesco Farioli primarily utilized Hato as a left-back last season, but the left-footed player has substantial experience playing centrally—over one-third of his professional appearances have been at centre-back, according to Transfermarkt.

Apart from Hato, Maresca has plenty of options available for that position. Chelsea currently have eight senior central defenders on their roster. While several are anticipated to depart this summer, players like Benoît Badiashile and Wesley Fofana have clearly expressed their desire to remain in west London.

Maresca frequently relied on Trevoh Chalobah and Tosin Adarabioyo last season, though both defenders are right-footed and therefore don't provide the same distribution options as a natural left-sided defender.