Chelsea defender addresses loan situation after excelling at Brighton and Hove Albion

Chelsea defender Levi Colwill is not ruling out a full return to Chelsea next season after excelling at Brighton where he’s helped them secure Europa League football for the first time in the club’s history.

The Seagulls want to turn the 20-year-old’s loan into a permanent deal, but it is understood the Stamford Bridge side do not want to lose the centre-back for good.

The defender has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign and highly-rated Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi has not hidden his intentions to keep him at the Amex next season- but the decision will ultimately be that of Chelsea and the defender.

His ability to pick a pass even when under pressure, maturity, and judgment has caught the eye and the new Chelsea manager will have a huge decision to make regarding the defender’s future when he’s appointed in the summer.

Colwill admits everything is still up in the air and he will take his time before making a decision on where he plays next.

He told the Athletic: “Who knows, we’ll see what happens in the summer. I love the Brighton fans, I love everything about them (the club). I’ll take that into consideration.”

Chelsea have 32 first-team players and spent a record £600 million in the last two transfer windows but surprisingly have crashed to 12th on the league table and heading towards their worst points tally in 30 years.

However, a long-term injury to Benoît Badiashile means Levi Colwill might now have the chance to become a regular at least during pre-season and heading into the new campaign.