Chelsea need to sign a top centre-back this summer after Levi Colwill picked up a potentially season-ending ACL injury in training. The Englishman was just starting to establish himself as one of the best defenders in the Premier League. We can only wish him a speedy and complete recovery and hope that this does not end up having a long-term effect on his overall game.
Colwill was a nailed-on starter for Chelsea and a key reason behind their success last season, although he might not have always gotten enough credit. The Blues will feel his absence for sure.
That is why they must go out and sign a top-quality centre-back to replace him. One cannot forget that some of their other centre-backs, like Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile, are quite injury-prone as well, while Renato Veiga continues to be linked with an exit.
On the other hand, it looks like the Blues are trying to sign a centre-back right now, but he has not made a single senior appearance yet. So, it is hard to imagine that he is being viewed as someone who will make a first-team impact immediately.
Chelsea in pole position to sign Ajax centre-back after Levi Colwill injury
As reported by TEAMtalk, Chelsea have taken pole position in the race to sign Aaron Bouwman. The club have reached out to his agents in recent days. The 17-year-old Ajax defender is also on the radar of Manchester City and Arsenal.
Someone like Bouwman could be a fantastic long-term addition. There is no doubt about Chelsea's ability to scout top talents from around the world. But he does not appear to be someone who is ready to make an impact on Enzo Maresca's squad right now.
Hopefully, Chelsea will go out and sign a proven centre-back to take Colwill's place in the team. They have been linked with names like Marc Guehi, Ronald Araujo and more in recent weeks. It might be time to accelerate those plans. Bringing someone in before the Premier League opener would be wonderful.