Chelsea Scrambles for Defensive Reinforcements: Which Surprising Star Could Fill the Void Left by Colwill?

Injuries—those pesky curveballs that can instantly reshape a team’s destiny. Chelsea’s blues have taken a hit with Levi Colwill sidelined for the bulk of the 2025-26 campaign due to a torn ACL. And honestly, it’s left Enzo Maresca pacing the sidelines, publicly pushing for reinforcements in the heart of the defense. You see, Levi wasn’t just any center-back; he was the linchpin in how Chelsea built their attacks—disrupting that delicate balance means scrambling for solutions. Maresca’s been candid, acknowledging that while the squad brims with options, none fill Levi’s shoes quite like Tosin Adarabioyo—and even then, the depth chart starts looking thin when injuries stack up. With Premier League and Champions League battles looming, the urgency is palpable—Chelsea needs a steady presence at the back, pronto. As the team prepares to launch their season against Crystal Palace fresh off a Club World Cup glory, all eyes are on how swiftly Maresca and the club can patch this gaping hole. LEARN MORE

Enzo Maresca has urged Chelsea to sign a new defender after Levi Colwill’s long-term injury.

The England international suffered an ACL tear and is set to miss most of the 2025-26 season.

Despite the Blues having plenty of players on the books, the head coach has publicly declared that he would like a new face through the door to cover for his missing centre-back.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference, Maresca said: “We know how important Levi was for us last season and for the way we want to play.

“We are able to create chances in attack if we can build in the right way and Levi was a huge part of that. Now he is out and we will try to find a different solution.

“We are trying to find a solution internally, but the club know exactly what I think – we need a central defender – but we are looking internally.”

“When we build, we build with Levi in the middle. Last year, we played 64 games and we played 64 games with Levi and Tosin [Adarabioyo]. Now Levi is out, the only one who can do that job well is Tosin.

“We have the Premier League and Champions League. These kind of players, the rest can adapt. We have [Jorrel] Hato but he never played as the guy in the middle last season. It is not about central defenders. Yes he is a central defender, but what does he have to do? Can he do that? It is different.

“We also have Benoit [Badishille] and Wes [Fofana] who have problems, and this is why the club know exactly what I think about central defenders.”

Chelsea kick-off their campaign at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday, as they look to build on their Club World Cup triumph this summer.