Enzo Maresca confirms Chelsea transfer decision after Levi Colwill injury

In partnership with

Evening Standard

·21 août 2025

Enzo Maresca confirms Chelsea transfer decision after Levi Colwill injury

The manager publicly pleaded for a new defender but has now changed tack

Your matchday briefing on Chelsea, featuring team news and expert analysis from Dom Smith

Vidéos OneFootball

Sign up

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Chelsea will not sign another centre-back this summer after Levi Colwill’s serious knee injury.

Colwill is expected to miss the majority of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, which prompted Maresca to publicly call for reinforcements in the transfer market. The Blues boss said last week that “the club knows exactly what I think and we will see what happens - I think we need a central defender.”

However, it is understood that Chelsea’s hierarchy does not agree and Maresca will find a solution in his current squad.

Asked at a press conference on Thursday for an update on his centre-back search, Maresca replied: “I already said that we are looking for internal solutions, and I showed that last week against Palace. We’ll see what happens.”

When pushed on if the club are trying to sign a new centre-back, he replied: “We are trying to find solutions.”

Maresca was then asked whether everyone at the club is on the same page on how to cover Colwill’s absence, to which he snapped back: “I repeat again. Probably I need to improve my English! We are looking for internal solutions, and we will see if something happens.”

Maresca wanted to use Tosin Adarabioyo alongside Trevoh Chalobah in the Blues' Premier League opener against Crystal Palace on Sunday, which ended in a 0-0 draw.

However, 19-year-old Josh Acheampong stepped in after Tosin was unable to complete training on Saturday. The former Fulham defender is fit to face West Ham on Friday night.