To say Todd Boehly’s first few years as owner of Chelsea Football Club have been eventful would be putting it lightly.
Now with their fourth manager at the helm, the Champions League winning Thomas Tuchel became Graham Potter who then became Mauricio Pochettino and then along came Enzo Maresca.
The managerial situation embodies several seasons of Doctor Who. A constant spate of regenerations engulf Stamford Bridge and who knows how long Maresca will stick around.
No match action is yet to take place – that’s where the Italian will really be judged – but off the field, it does appear as though the Blues have their ducks in a row.
They have sealed a deal for Brazilian wonderkid Estevao Willian, are on the verge of landing Omari Kellyman and are pondering over a striker. On that front, Jonathan David seems to be the catch of the day, with talks having been held with the Canadian’s forward representatives.
Yet, we all know with Chelsea now that given their remarkable levels of spending, PSR regulations have to be adhered to. So, selling a few players could do the trick.
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Brazilian great Thiago Silva has already departed the club on a free transfer while rumours relentlessly swirl around suggesting Kepa Arrizabalaga could be departing again.
Ian Maatsen will swiftly exit west London too, heading in the direction of the Midlands where the Champions League finalist will join Aston Villa.
There is also the future of Conor Gallagher to address. The England international would represent pure profit from an FFP perspective and has been linked with big-money moves to the aforementioned Villa and Tottenham. Now at Euro 2024, that won’t be resolved anytime soon.
Slapped with a £50m asking price, that would go some way to strengthening Chelsea’s financial position but he’s not the meatiest of players when it comes to their expected transfer value.
Chelsea’s £100m player in waiting
Levi Colwill. Made in Cobham, developed at Brighton and now shining back in London.
The England international enjoyed a breakout campaign with the Seagulls in 2022/23 and even if last season was injury disrupted he has shown why he possesses the tools to become an elite defender.
Capable of playing in central defence and at left back, the 21-year-old’s versatility is one of the most attractive aspects of his game. That modern forward-thinking approach is also rather helpful.
Indeed, over the last year, the young defender ranks among the best 4% of centre-backs in Europe’s premier divisions for aerials won per 90 minutes. A cracking header of the ball, Colwill is also adept in possession.
Only 5% of defenders in Europe’s big five leagues can say they boast a better pass completion over a medium distance. Only 7%, meanwhile, play more through balls out from the centre of the back line.
Also possessing immense leadership skills, there is a future captain to be had in there, an attribute that according to some reports makes him untouchable in the transfer market.
Bayern Munich have allegedly been interested but Chelsea, unsurprisingly, are not interested in a sale.
But let’s say they were enticed to get rid should a big offer come in. Just how much would it take for them to say ‘yeah go on then’?
Well, according to The Athletic, they now value Colwill him at a whopping £100m.
If any club paid that it would make him the most expensive defender of all time after, yep you guessed it, Manchester United’s Harry Maguire.
10. Achraf Hakimi
£60.9m
9. Marc Cucurella
£63m
8. Ruben Dias
£65m
7. Lucas Hernandez
£68m
7 = Matthijs de Ligt
£68m
5 = Wesley Fofana
£75m
5 = Virgil van Dijk
£75m
3. Matthijs de Ligt
£77.1m
2. Josko Gvardiol
£77.6m
1. Harry Maguire
£80m
Such a move would also eclipse the remarkable fee they got up front for Eden Hazard when he joined Real Madrid.
The Belgian is now retired and in fact, recently made an appearance at the Bridge duringSoccer Aid.
Yet, in his pomp, he was one of the finest foreign imports we’ve seen in the Premier League.
Hazard scored 110 goals and registered 85 assists in 352 outings for Chelsea, cementing himself as a legend in the process.
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2012/13
62
13
21
2013/14
49
17
8
2014/15
52
19
12
2015/16
43
6
7
2016/17
43
17
7
2017/18
52
17
13
2018/19
52
21
17
Such a run of form, which also saw him win two Europa Leagues, an FA Cup and twin Premier League medals, meant Madrid came calling, paying a fee of £88.3m initially before a colossal sum of adds-on were included.
So, if Chelsea did move Colwill on in the near future it could well be a record departure for the club. Their fans will be praying that another Hazard situation doesn’t repeat itself, particularly with some of the continent’s elite sniffing around the promising defender.
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