Chelsea starlet Levi Colwill has sent a clear message to Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino, claiming he must be playing regularly to earn a senior England call-up. It comes after the Cobham Academy graduate played a key role in the Three Lions' under 21s team winning the European Championships over the weekend.
Colwill was a regular starter for Lee Carsley's team that went on to win the whole tournament without conceding a single goal. A 1-0 win over Spain secured the trophy for the first time in nearly 40-years for England, with Curtis Jones deflecting Cole Palmer's free-kick goalbound for the lead.
A tense game had a few late twists in it, with Colwill giving away a penalty for what was adjudged to be a foul in the fifth minute of stoppage time. James Trafford's heroics in goal saw him pull off a double save to deny the opposition and secure the tournament trophy.
What comes next for a host of these players remains to be seen, with Colwill just one of those players in the squad who has been linked with a move this summer. The 20-year-old has enjoyed loan spells with both Huddersfield and Brighton, with the latter where he has cemented his quality as a Premier League centre-back.
With uncertainty surrounding his future at Stamford Bridge, the Seagulls have been linked with a switch, while football.london understands that Liverpool are among the teams monitoring a move. Colwill is believed to be viewed as untouchable by Chelsea this summer, but with two-years remaining on his deal, there will have to be some trust in the plan going forward from all sides.
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"He is a Chelsea player and in the last few months [on loan] at Brighton he was playing really well," Pochettino said in his first Chelsea press conference on the youngster. "He is one of our players and I need to talk with him when he arrives next week. I need to get a feel for him. I need to hear what he has in his mind, what he expects. And then, of course, for him to listen to what I expect from him."
It seems as though Colwill has made his expectations very clear when discussing his ambitions for an England senior call-up in the next year. He said on the possibility of a trip with Gareth Southgate's squad: "We’re all pushing and knocking on the door. Everyone has to pay attention to every player here. I feel like this team we had was more than just individuals.
"In the past England might have lacked with that. We’ve always had great players but I think this team is so much different. I love this team. I’ll speak to my family, speak to everyone I need to and make a decision. I’ve got to play at the end of the day, to hopefully get there and go to the next [senior] camp.
"But if I’m here, I’ll still be happy. You’ve always got to be happy when you’re picked for any England age group. It’s an honour."
It shows that the next step for Colwill is a regular place in the team, whether that's with Chelsea, Liverpool, Brighton or any other club. The reality is, if the Blues and Pochettino want to keep their promising young defender for the foreseeable future, there will have to be game time.
