Enzo Maresca will be without Levi Colwill for a while, but the Chelsea manager still has other centre-back options.
The above includes Aaron Anselmino, though the 20-year-old is low down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge.
Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, Tosin Adarabioyo and Josh Acheampong are all ahead of him. Adarabioyo could be back in action soon after missing Chelsea‘s 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace, which will soften Colwill’s injury blow a little bit.
If he gets injured again, Anselmino would surely love an opportunity, but that seems highly unlikely.
Chelsea's Levi Colwill applauds the fans
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
Chelsea still planning to send Aaron Anselmino out on loan
Chelsea want Maresca to use Jorrel Hato and other defenders who are currently at the club to plug the hole that Colwill’s injury has left.
However, Anselmino does not appear to be an option that the club are trying to force on their manager.
According to journalist Bobby Vincent, despite Colwill’s unavailability, Chelsea still plan to send Anselmino to another club on loan.
In a Q&A for football.london, Vincent shared: “Chelsea were considering loaning Anselmino to Strasbourg earlier in the summer, but there are three Blues players there now. Nothing has been suggested that their plan to loan him out has changed at all, even with the injury to Levi Colwill.”
MORE CHELSEA STORIES
Chelsea signed Anselmino from Boca Juniors for £15m in 2024. The Argentine, though, has made just one appearance for the Blues, which came at the Club World Cup.
It was a two-minute cameo against Benfica in the round of 16, with Maresca preferring Chelsea’s other central defenders over him.
Borussia Dortmund have been linked with Anselmino, but the German club are yet to actually make a move for him.
Aaron Anselmino of Chelsea during training session
Photo by Chris Lee – Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Aaron Anselmino not ready to fill in for Levi Colwill
Anselmino is a 20-year-old who is yet to play in Europe. Simply put, there is nothing to suggest that he is ready to take on the likes of Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah, Bukayo Saka and the other top attackers in the Premier League.
Again, while Colwill may be injured, Maresca still has other centre-halves with much more experience than the former Boca player.
All in all, a loan move would probably be best for Anselmino and a better option than throwing the youngster into the deep end and asking him to fill in for Colwill.