Chelsea defender Levi Colwill has previously admitted to idolising former Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard, which included having posters of the England international in his bedroom. It comes as the Cobham academy graduate has been linked with a potential move to Anfield this summer.
The interest follows a breakout season in the Premier League for the youngster, who enjoyed a spell in the Championship with Huddersfield before moving to Brighton on loan. The 20-year-old worked his way into the side and under Roberto De Zerbi, became a mainstay.
Such has been the impressive form of the centre-back, England boss Gareth Southgate took a look at him in training before the under 21 championships, with a future call-up to the senior squad in mind. After securing European football for next season, the Seagulls have tried their luck at landing Colwill permanently, but to no avail so far.
They aren't the only ones though as both Manchester City and Liverpool have been touted with a potential swoop for the Chelsea man, who has just two years remaining on his contract. football.london understands that the west Londoners have been very impressed with his progress and he's expected to be a key player under Mauricio Pochettino, with pre-season offering a chance for a better look at how he may fit into the side.
Whether the contract situation and the interest from elsewhere will be easy to fend off is another question though, given their current situations. Amid links to Liverpool in particular, Colwill has previously admitted to idolising former midfielder and captain Gerrard when he was younger.
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Speaking to GOAL in 2021, he said: "Growing up [my idol] was always Steven Gerrard, I would be watching him, he’s a leader. I was just amazed by him, I used to have pictures of him in my room. I was always trying to copy him before I was playing football. I always dressed up as him, I had the same boots. That was it.
“I just looked up to him. Obviously, I wasn’t really ever a central midfielder, but I always tried to have the same mentality as him. It just went from there.”
With the potential to recreate the legacy of Gerrard at Anfield himself, it remains to be seen whether Colwill could be tempted by a switch or a stay at Chelsea. However, it's clear that with his contract dwindling, a priority will likely be top-level football and the Blues will have to prove they can match his ambitions.
