Chelsea might be forced to rethink their summer transfer plans with Levi Colwill set for a spell on the treatment table. He is expected to miss the whole season after picking up a serious knee injury and undergoing surgery. Enzo Maresca confirmed the news on Thursday, hinting that Chelsea may need to sign a replacement given the length of Colwill's absence.
"It was in the first session on Monday, just in the last minutes of the session," said Maresca. "He felt something and, as I said, we need to wait and then we see [about signing another defender]. It depends. We need to wait and then we see. But, as I said, we know each other from last year and, you know in our way, how important Levi has been."
Express Sport looks at four potential candidates to replace Colwill at Stamford Bridge...
Marc Guehi
The standout choice would be Marc Guehi, who continues to be linked with a summer move away from Crystal Palace. He is said to have emerged as a target for Liverpool with the Reds thought to be seeking defensive reinforcements of their own.
It has been reported that Guehi's preferred choice would be Liverpool but Chelsea would reap the rewards of convincing him otherwise. According to the Evening Standard, a deal could be struck for around £40million with Palace aware of the interest in his signature.
Tomas Araujo
Chelsea could also decide to firm up their reported interest in Benfica defender Tomas Araujo. He was placed near the top of Enzo Maresca's defensive shortlist at the start of the window, according to Portuguese outlet A Bola.
Araujo emerged as a key man for Benfica last season and it has been claimed that a move would not come cheap. He is thought to have a release clause worth £68m and his current employers are reportedly unwilling to sell for anything less.
Malick Thiaw
AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw is another player to have been linked with a move to the Premier League this summer. He is said to be a target for Newcastle, with reports suggesting that personal terms have already been agreed.
Chelsea, however, could decide to launch a hijack and sign Thiaw for themselves. He would be slightly cheaper than Guehi, with AC Milan thought to be demanding a transfer fee of around £30m.
Fikayo Tomori
Alternatively, the Blues could decide to bring Fikayo Tomori back to his old stomping ground. The former Chelsea man rejected a move to Tottenham last season but could be more open to the idea of returning to west London.
If he moves back to the Premier League this summer, a return to Chelsea would appear to be the most likely outcome. Tomori, however, recently told Italian media that he would be 'happy' to remain at AC Milan for at least one more season.
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