Why Chelsea's Summer Transfer Window Has Left One HUGE Problem

Why Chelsea's Summer Transfer Window Has Left One HUGE Problem

The Blues enjoyed another lavish spending spree over the summer, shelling out €339m on 10 players.

Many sat back and applauded the long-term investment, with the oldest new face being Joao Pedro at 23-years-old, and according to Transfermarkt, the market value of their signings is over £200m what they paid.

However, there is one glaring area of the pitch that the Blues failed to put money into, an area that has now become an obvious weakness to Chelsea's Premier League start.

That area is at centre-back, which the long-term injury to Levi Colwill has gravely worsened, as Trevoh Chalobah and Tosin Adarioboyo haven't been able to step up in his absence.

Maresca's Transfer Target

Enzo Maresca made it clear - both to the Sporting Directors and in official press conferences - that he wanted a centre-back after Colwill's ACL injury that has ruled him out until March/April.

🗣 "The club know exactly what I think." 👀

Enzo Maresca has made it clear he wants a new centre-back at Chelsea 🔵 pic.twitter.com/ppP0VBuczm

— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) August 15, 2025

Many said that a left-footed center-back should be the target, given that Benoit Badiashile is the only other option. However, he has his own fitness concerns, plus the manager frankly doesn't rate him.

The Italian had this to say ahead of the Premier League opener last month:

🚨 😳 BREAKING - Enzo Maresca on the need for a centre back:

“Wes played 45 minutes in that position. It was the first half against Bournemouth away. Probably one of the worst halves since we started”

Benoit playing in the middle, the Conference League final, first half, we… pic.twitter.com/vwMpia9O5q

— Pys (@CFCPys) August 15, 2025

Yet, the transfer deadline edged ever closer, with no sign of new defensive reinforcements, until Maresca suddenly had a public change of admission:

Quote "My view will not change to not play out from the back. We are trying to find an internal solution."

Had Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart - the Sporting Director's - rejected his request? Surely Maresca's opinion hadn't changed in the space of a week, a week in which Josh Acheampong and Chalobah failed to deal with Jean-Phillipe Mateta in a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.

With Jorrel Hato clearly being viewed as a backup option for Marc Cucurella at left-back rather than as a left-footed center-back, the decision to undermine the manager has proven to be a huge error just five matches into the campaign.

What Does Levi Colwill Bring?

Starting as the left-sided center-back of a flat back four, the right-back advancing more forward whilst Cucurella inverts means he acts as the central center-back of a three when in possession.

The 22-year-old's best asset is undoubtedly his passing out from the back, which is crucial in enabling Maresca's possession-based football to bypass the press from the opposition.

Levi Colwill has covered more Progressive Passing Distance than any outfield player born in 2002 or later in Europe's Big Five Leagues this season.

His ball-playing is already elite, very few centre-backs can do what he does in possession. pic.twitter.com/PGvk6UB7MW

— SCOUTED (@scoutedftbl) September 25, 2024

Starting 35/38 Premier League games in 2024/25, Colwill averaged 44.9 passes per match within his own half - usually to the attacking cohort rather than the central midfielders - with an accuracy rate of 94%.

By playing straight into an attacking outlet who has dropped into a pocket of space to receive and turn, it splits the opposition line and leaves the attackers with a greater numerical advantage than if their midfielders were also to be back defending.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🎯 No centreback has more passes (1269) or forward passes (508) than Levi Colwill in the Premier League this season

👨‍💼 Top 7 League profile: https://t.co/mgfkekCUeC pic.twitter.com/YrUujgwyz4

— DataMB (@DataMB_) January 5, 2025

He also has an accuracy of 82% from an average of 21.7 balls played into the opposition half per game, meaning he is often very precise when opting for the riskier option to go long and trust the wingers to beat the fullbacks.

Two examples from matches below show what effect his passing ability has on the Chelsea team.

This pass from Colwill >>> pic.twitter.com/w9oy9fbC2K

— Series ‘Baj (@Engr_Series) September 15, 2024

Colwill CCB. Controlling the ball, dictating play, breaking lines for fun.
We are actually gonna miss Levi 😭😭😭
Important player. pic.twitter.com/gB8wmGr8O1

— WC Ambitious Mayor💙🏆🥇 (@Ayowa9) August 16, 2025

How Chalobah and Tosin Compare

Their passing stats are actually incredibly similar to those of Colwill; Chalobah has an accuracy of 91% within his own half, whilst Tosin's is up at 90% with a huge 78 passes on average.

However, the caliber of these passes is staggering.

Chalobah will take 5 touches before passing the ball to someone 2 steps away

— Dante (@Maverick_Jnr) August 22, 2025

Whilst Colwill is busy breaking lines, the other English pairing prefer safe passes, either between each other or to the likes of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandes in front of them, neither of which allows you to beat the opposition press.

Of course, these easier passing options will result in a higher passing accuracy due to the rarity of someone cutting them out, meaning Colwill's success rate when put into perspective is even more impressive given the high chance his distribution could be stopped halfway.

This video below was from Chelsea's match two games ago against Brentford away, in which Chalobah, Tosin, and even Wesley Fofana at right center-back can be seen playing short and safe a number of times, failing to break the Bees down, until Chalobah eventually decides to go long - which almost leads to a goal.

Pedro Neto didn’t expect that pass from Chalobah to connect

pic.twitter.com/ko0eMU6KOL https://t.co/Edz0Com7ZR

— SHAYEE 𒀭 (@tier_1st) September 14, 2025

Defensively, both Chalobah and Tosin make more clearances per game (6.4 and 6.3) compared to Colwill (3.3) and more interceptions (1.4 and 1.3) versus the 22-year-old's 0.9 average.

Yet, the reality of the modern game is that passing out from the back will take more priority over defensive acumen.

Still though, when they are part of a team conceding chances like these when A) Tosin fails to jump for the ball despite his 6ft 4in frame and Chalobah is caught napping with two players over his shoulder and B) the central center-back commits for the aerial duel, loses it, and leaves a massive gap for Bryan Mbeumo to run into, leading to Robert Sanchez's red card, it is difficult to make a claim that they are better defensively than Colwill.

Come for the Casemiro goal, stay for Amad screaming in the camera 🎥 pic.twitter.com/CYZhGbqNYc

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 20, 2025

⚽️ Robert Sánchez’s red card challenge on Bryan Mbeumo. pic.twitter.com/G1iW3hY0dH

— iKAY (@connect2ikay) September 20, 2025

The difference when Colwill plays compared to when he is absent is reflected in the stats as well.

In Chelsea's important top-four showdown on the final day against Nottingham Forest, the Blues had 83 successful passes in the final third, and attempted to make 131.

Last time out against Manchester United, this figure was down at 102 attempted and 78 executed, which, when you factor in that Chelsea had a second-half lead against Forest and sat deep to defend it for most of that half without the ball, makes the numbers even more recognizable.

Furthermore, it was United with the second-half lead in that one, therefore allowing Chelsea to have more of the ball as they started to back off as the game progressed.

It's clear to see how Colwill influences the team in higher areas of the pitch to create more chances that lead to more goals, and Maresca will surely be banging on the sporting director's door for a backup central defender with a good passing range twice as hard as he did this summer.