An update has emerged on Liverpool and their interest in signing central defender Levi Colwill in the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Levi Colwill to Liverpool?

According to Football Insider, the Reds are tracking the Brighton centre-back, who is on loan from fellow Premier League side Chelsea, ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The report claims that Liverpool coaches have been seriously impressed with the England youth international’s performances in the top flight this term.

Arsenal are also said to be plotting a move for the defender, who the Blues are not actively looking to sell at this time. Jurgen Klopp is also monitoring his situation with the defender valued at around £25m as recently as last summer.

Could Colwill be Virgil van Dijk’s heir?

Liverpool could land the long-term heir to their current first-choice left-sided centre-back Virgil van Dijk by convincing their Premier League rivals to part ways with Colwill in the summer.

The 20-year-old’s contract at Stamford Bridge expires in the summer of 2025 but Chelsea have signed Wesley Fofana, 22, and Benoit Badiashile, 22, in his position this season with their presence potentially set to block his pathway to the first-team in Graham Potter’s side.

This could, therefore, open the door for the Reds to swoop in for the England U21 international if the defender decides that he needs to move on from the Blues.

Van Dijk, who turns 32 this year, has been a reliable performer yet again for Liverpool this season – averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.10 across 22 league matches – and predominantly plays on the left side of the centre-back pairing, despite being right-footed.

Colwill, who was once hailed as “outrageous” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, also lines up on the left of the defence as a naturally left-footed player and the youngster could well be the long-term heir to the Dutchman’s place in the team.

Both players rank in the top 15% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days for passes attempted and pass completion rate. Van Dijk (4.77) and Colwill (5.06) also excel at progressing the ball via carries and passes per 90 with these statistics showing that they are both ball-playing defenders who can start attacks for their sides on a regular basis.

They are also both in the top 14% of players in their positions for aerial duels won per 90 over the last 365 days – managing 2.82 or more – an indication that they are aerially dominant and can tower over attackers to win the ball.

Stylistically, the Chelsea man could be a like-for-like replacement for Van Dijk if the English defender can develop his game and perform to a high level consistently over the course of a campaign – instead of in just seven Premier League matches so far.

At the age of 20, the enforcer has plenty of time left ahead of him to grow and improve and Klopp’s coaching could help him to become the long-term successor to the club’s current Dutch star.