Liverpool’s faint hopes of landing one reported summer transfer target now appear to be effectively over.
David Ornstein has reported for The Athletic that Chelsea have agreed a new six-year contract with Levi Colwill, with the proposed deal in place and now just waiting to be signed.
The 20-year-old had been on the Reds’ radar over the past couple of months (Football Insider), but having featured under Mauricio Pochettino in pre-season and won the manager’s public endorsement (The Athletic), the Blues have moved quickly to secure his future.
READ MORE: ‘I expect…’ – Fabrizio Romano drops Liverpool transfer claim, movement due ‘this week’
Despite the links with Colwill persisting throughout most of the summer, Liverpool were always going to find it tough to sign him from Chelsea.
Fabrizio Romano had claimed that the Blues wouldn’t want to sell the defender to a direct domestic rival, and once Wesley Fofana suffered a cruciate ligament injury a couple of weeks ago, it seemed inevitable that Pochettino would be intent on not losing another centre-back.
It’ll come as a blow to the Reds that the 20-year-old proved unattainable, as he would’ve ticked numerous boxes for Jurgen Klopp.
Aside from his vast scope for further growth at such a young age, he’d have helped towards Liverpool’s homegrown quota, while also giving them the left-footed central defensive option they’re currently lacking.
That’s not to mention his tremendous displays on loan at Brighton and in England’s European Under-21 triumph last month, which saw him named in UEFA’s Team of the Tournament.
Alas, with Chelsea now set to tie down Colwill until 2029, the Reds will need to move on from him and focus their efforts elsewhere if they’re intent on strengthening Klopp’s defence during the final 31 days of the transfer window.
#Ep83 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones