Chelsea defender Levi Colwill has put pen to paper on a new long-term contract, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Speaking on his Youtube channel on Wednesday morning, Romano said that the paperwork has now been officially signed off by the player and the club:

“Levi Colwill has signed his new contract at Chelsea, it’s done. It’s completed, he signed yesterday (Tuesday 2nd August) around midnight UK time. Everything is completed. It’s a six-year deal until June 2029… incredible work by [co-Sporting Directors] Paul Winstanley, Laurence Stewart’s people in the club.”

“The board [have been] pushing with the player to tell him and his agent how the project was for the future but also Mauricio Pochettino. Pochettino started pushing immediately after Levi Colwill returned from Euro Under 21 [Championships], explaining [to] him about the project, telling him about the process for the future, and trusting Colwill as one of the faces of the Chelsea project.”

Chelsea have had to work hard to ward off potential suitors

Brighton are believed to have made two separate bids for Colwill in order to keep the centre-back on a permanent basis after his loan spell at the Amex last season, but the Blues were adamant that the 20-year-old was not for sale at any price.

Similarly, Liverpool are said to have made contact, asking about the England Under 21 international’s availability, but the enquiries were knocked back.

Colwill needed to be convinced

The defender was said to be waiting to see where he fit into Pochettino’s plans before deciding on his long-term future but, as Romano points out, the Argentine played a key role in persuading the centre-half that he should remain at Stamford Bridge.

Fans will be breathing a huge sigh of relief that one of the club’s most talented young players will be staying at Chelsea.