The Athletic: Crystal Palace prepared to spend big to land £5k-p/w prodigy; he's a 'Rolls Royce'

Crystal Palace are reportedly ‘confident’ of signing Chelsea defender Levi Colwill, according to The Athletic. 

A product of the Blues’ academy, the 19-year-old spent the 2021/22 campaign on loan at Championship outfit Huddersfield Town and played an integral role in the Yorkshire club’s season which saw them just miss out on promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.

The England youth international was ultimately the fall guy in the Wembley showpiece, as his own goal meant Nottingham Forest returned to the top flight instead, marring what was otherwise a very successful developmental spell in the second tier.

Having now returned to London, Colwill has flown out to the USA as part of Thomas Tuchel’s first-team squad, although there remains a strong possibility that the young centre-back will leave Stamford Bridge this summer as Chelsea target further reinforcements in that department…

As per Simon Johnson for The Athletic, Crystal Palace are believed to be ‘confident’ of signing the England under-21 starlet.

It’s claimed that top-flight domestic rivals Southampton, Fulham, Leicester City, Brighton & Hove Albion and Everton are also in the mix to land Colwill.

The report added that the respective suitors are ‘prepared to spend millions’ to sign the teenager, who was described as a ‘Rolls Royce’ defender with similarities to Rio Ferdinand by the Manchester United legend’s brother Anton.

Having already reaped the rewards of signing another Chelsea academy graduate in the shape of Marc Guehi, reuniting Colwill with his former youth team-mate could prove to be another sensational piece of business from the Eagles.

The Southampton-born gem – who was on a reported £5,000 per week in 2021/22 (Salary Sport) – earned an