Tottenham Hotspur have joined Liverpool in the race to sign Chelsea defender Levi Colwill this summer, according to Evening Standard.
New Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou is continuing to overhaul his squad and he’s in the market for at least one new centre-back this summer after the North Londoners conceded over 60 goals last season.
The newspaper claims that Tottenham have had negotiations with Wolfsburg for the signing of Micky Van de Ven after making the Dutchman their prime target.
However, Spurs fear Liverpool could hijack their move for the highly-rated defender so Postecoglou is keeping his options open and has now identified Colwill as a viable alternative.
Tottenham will face stiff competition for Colwill’s signature from Liverpool as the Reds have been strongly linked with the England U21 international in recent weeks.
Jurgen Klopp is looking to strengthen his defence and has identified Colwill as a long-term successor for Virgil van Dijk in the middle of Liverpool’s backline.
Competition
Brighton are also hoping to sign Colwill on a permanent basis after his successful loan spell last season. The Seagulls have already seen their opening offer of £30m for the youngster rejected by Chelsea.
According to the Daily Mail, Chelsea would want around £40m for the versatile defender if they are forced to cash-in this summer, but the Blues will do all they can to keep hold of the youngster.
According to Evening Standard, Chelsea want to extend Colwill’s contract – which expires in 2025 – but the centre-back wants assurances of first-team football before committing. The defender will seek talks with Mauricio Pochettino before making any decision on his future.
It is believed that Pochettino is keen on offering him the opportunity to feature regularly for the club in the forthcoming season. but he’ll face competition from Benoit Badiashile, Thiago Silva, Wesley Fofana, and Trevoh Chalobah for a starting spot.
It’s going to be interesting to see how things play out but if Colwill isn’t given the assurances he wants from Chelsea, then he could push for a move with Tottenham and Liverpool ready to battle-it-out over a deal.
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