Brighton boss Graham Potter says he is looking forward to working with Chelsea youngster Levi Colwill after the 19-year-old joined the Seagulls on a season-long loan. The centre-back makes the move to the south coast in a separate deal to the one which took Marc Cucurella to Stamford Bridge.
The Spaniard joins the Blues in a deal that could be worth up to roughly £62million, becoming signing number five of a window that has promised change in the squad. The loss of several key players has impacted Thomas Tuchel, while other areas have needed a refresh from the usual options at his disposal.
With the Premier League just around the corner, a frustrated Tuchel was unsure of how competitive his side could be against Everton in their first game. However, with further movement in the market since, the German coach may be one step closer to his ideal squad.
READ MORE: Every word Thomas Tuchel said on Everton vs Chelsea, Cucurella, Colwill, Aubameyang, Boehly work
While the search for more depth at the back has continued, Colwill won't be one of those players involved in that squad this season with his switch to Brighton. The England youth international impressed last season on loan at Huddersfield, where he guided the Terriers to an unlikely playoff finish, losing out in the final to Nottingham Forest.
With his comfort level at Championship level, it seemed as though a step up to the Premier League was always on the cards this summer, whether that was with Chelsea or elsewhere. Pre-season saw him receive little game time though, suffering an injury early on before he was left out of the setup.
Plenty of teams have been linked with a move, but Brighton managed to beat their competition to land the youngster on loan. Discussing the move, Potter told the official Brighton website: "Levi has enormous potential and has already shown his ability last season in the Championship and with England at various age group levels up to Under-21s. I am really looking forward to working with him on the training pitch, and in matches over the course of the season.
"He plays mostly at centre-back, but has also played on the left as a full-back, and he is a player who is comfortable on the ball."
It remains to be seen if the defender will be in the club's plans upon his return, with Tuchel saying in his press conference: "It's a bit hard to judge him. He came back and there was not a lot of game time in pre-season to give to him because of a little injury he suffered in training.
"The situation is the situation, it is always very individual as always. If there is a possibility for him to have a good loan or a situation where he can develop and improve, we are open to any talks and solutions."
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