Antonio Rudiger’s Chelsea replacement secured already with £4.5m signing after Cobham lesson – Daniel Childs

The lure of signing a new name constantly certainly adds excitement and intrigue to the off-season. The arrival of a new face injects fresh energy into the squad. It gets you more excited about the upcoming season and hopefully marks the start of progress.

But Chelsea fans, and the club, should have learnt over recent years that some of the best additions to the first-team squad have come via the academy. Priceless solutions, nearly all written off as either “not being ready” or “not being good enough”, have proved the opposite, outshining senior players the club did spend a hefty fee for.

In the case of defence, Thomas Tuchel knows there needs to be an investment. With the departures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen, Chelsea cannot sit on their hands and wait.

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The need to rebuild as much as improve is clear. Losing a figure like Rudiger will prove tricky to replace instantly, and even if fans were critical of Christensen, he did play a part in the 2021 Champions League victory.

On the left side of the defence is where Chelsea needs to recruit to fill Rudiger’s spot. Targets like Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig have already been mentioned, regarded as one of Bundesliga’s most exciting young defenders, whilst the more experienced Gleison Bremer of Torino has reportedly been watched by Chelsea this season.

However, one name that should not be left out of the conversation is Levi Colwill. The English defender thrived on loan at Huddersfield Town during the 2021/22 season, and not even his unfortunate own-goal in the play-off final can undermine a season of growth and recognition in England’s second tier.

Colwill has proved himself to be an imposing figure whilst also offering the technical prowess on the ball with his left foot that a team like Chelsea need to build play from the back. Having a left-footed player in a back-three has its unique advantages, offering new passing angles that can effectively break through an opposing press.

Colwill has also been praised by his peers for his maturity at only 19 and is already attracting serious interest from Premier League and some European clubs. It is relevant to point out that Marc Guehi had not enjoyed a single minute of top-flight football before joining Crystal Palace in 2021 from Chelsea. He is now a regular starter and regarded as one of the league’s standout rookies.

Fikayo Tomori did similar after Championship loans with Brighton, Hull and Derby. Trevoh Chalobah impressed Tuchel enough last summer to remain with the first-team squad and become a trusted member across an impressive season for the 22-year-old.

Colwill is valued at £4.5m by TransferMarkt, but a permanent deal would certainly prove higher if Chelsea decided to cash in as they did with Guehi last year. They shouldn’t because of what Colwill can offer next season and into the future as a key part of Tuchel’s defence.

Dismissing Cobham talent in 2021 now looks like a big error. Chelsea, under new ownership, should not fall into the same trap.