Southampton are being linked with a Chelsea teenager currently out on loan in the Championship, could he be the answer to the issues in the centre of defence, with questions being asked about Jan Bednarek's commitment to the club.

The player in question is Levi Colwill, who having only just turned 19 has starred in the Centre of defence for Huddersfield Town.

Reports are saying that Saints along with Everton & Leicester City have been monitoring Colwill who has played 26 Championship games for the Yorkshire club and has generally been in the starting line up if he has not been injured.

Saints will hope to be in pole position, not only for the way that they have enhanced the careers of both Tino Livramento & Armando Broja, but for the fact that Colwill was actually born in Southampton, but joined Chelsea's Under 9 set up rather than Saints a decade ago.

Although he has never made a first team appearance at Chelsea , he like the aforementioned pair has come of age away from Stamford Bridge and after his appearances in the Championship, he could well be ready to step up to the plate in the Premier league should he sign.

He could be available for a reasonable fee, but again like Livramento there would likely be a buy back option for Chelsea should they wish to exercise it.

Certainly judging by the number of stories in the media over the past few days about Colwill and the alleged Premier League interest , it seems that both the player and his agent have seen the lack of progress at Stamford Bridge of various contemporaries in the youth team set up to get into the first team and the success they have had away from Chelsea both on permanent deals and on loan and they would be interested in following that path.

Photo: Action Images

clunk76 added 13:09 - Apr 13 So this is the change of direction with Ralphy looking to add more experience to the squad is it! Brilliant!
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underweststand added 14:34 - Apr 13 So'ton lad Colwill chose CL club Chelsea over Saints (in 2009), when we were bottom of L1 at the time, and has obviously maintained his improving form and survived ever since. That's common sense... Nothing wrong there - especially as (at the time) Nicola Cortese dumped " the Academy project" in a cost-cutting measure shortly afterwards - (along with talents like Tyrone Mings and others). Now the boot is on the other foot and Chelsea are about to make their own economy cuts, so this lad should be welcomed back to Staplewood - along with any other Chelsea talents who feel the urge to move on, and the recent performances from Livramento and Broja will be seen as good encouragement for any ambitious youngster. Bring them on. I have no qualms in considering Chelsea to be " our feeder club " in the future - especially if we continue to lose our best talents to other Top Six sides.

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highfield49 added 17:55 - Apr 13 If other clubs are watching Colwill's progress I suspect he's quite talented, and with Lampard currently in charge at Everton he might well be more aware than most of his potential. Whilst it's right to make the point that the lad has little experience I'd rather gamble on him making the grade than buying into the years of mediocrity displayed by the likes of Harry Maguire. Bednarek has reached the point in his career where it's time to move on and it would be no surprise to see Lyanco starting for the remainder of this season. Jack Stephens also has little to offer us in the future. Just because raw talent is being sought it doesn't mean that an older head isn't also on the want list.

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