Chelsea defender Levi Colwill has not enjoyed the best of returns back in action in the Premier League after his ACL injury ruled him out for almost the entirety of last season. Most recently in the away loss to Sunderland this past weekend, the centre-back was stranded within no man’s land between Brian Brobbey and the Chelsea goal, and was adjudged to have tripped the Sunderland attacker for a successfully converted penalty.
Upon being brandished a booking for dissent in the aftermath of the penalty being awarded, Colwill was withdrawn by Blues manager Xabi Alonso at half time. Alonso went on to explain his decision after the game, as he pointed to the English international being booked as well as being a potential target on transitions for a physical Black Cats side – and therefore, a sending off in the brewing. The change was not enough as Chelsea went on to produce a meek second half display, and suffered a fourth defeat of the season.
Fabrizio has confirmed that there is nothing happening between Barcelona and Chelsea for Levi Colwill despite the reports.
— Vince™ (@Blue_Footy) November 9, 2026
The immediate aftermath of the defeat drew criticism from Chelsea supporters online – already frustrated after only three Premier League clean sheets in all of 2026, and it was not long before Colwill was linked with a potential move away from Stamford Bridge. While many fans speculated about a potential move to Catalan giants Barcelona, reputed journalist Fabrizio Romano put an end to the rumours on his ‘Here We Go’ podcast – possibly owing to the fact that Colwill is still highly rated in West London and looked at as a key cog in the Blues machine for the future.
📹🚨🗣️| @FabrizioRomano on Levi Colwill being linked with Barcelona as an option in January: “Chelsea today are not in contact with anyone from Barcelona, and nothing is happening between Barcelona and Levi Colwill. There’s nothing concrete into this link. If Barca will arrive Levi Colwill in January, I will tell you, but as of today the situation is very quiet.” #CFC
— Chelsea Reports (@CFCNewsReport) November 9, 2026
Romano squashed the links as he went on to say that Chelsea are not in contact with Barcelona over any player at the moment, and went on to reiterate that there is nothing concrete happening between Colwill and the Catalans. However, the same cannot be said for another left-footed Chelsea central defender who has been the subject of concrete interest from the champions of Spain – out-of-favour Dutch centre-back Jorrel Hato.
According to Spanish news outlet Sport, Barcelona are keen on acquiring the services of the 20-year-old Chelsea defender in the January transfer window. With only 154 minutes played in the Premier League this season, Hato has found himselfon the outskirts of Xabi Alonso’s system so far – and interest from Barça could soon see him trade the Blues for the Blaugrana. The Spanish giants are currently leading the La Liga race, and would be a good stylistical fit for the defender best known for his ability on the ball.
🚨 NEW: Barcelona are exploring SEVEN potential centre-back opportunities ahead of the January transfer window! – Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan) – Vitor Reis (Manchester City) – Piero Hincapié (Arsenal) – Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United) – Lucas Beraldo (PSG) – Jorrel Hato (Chelsea) – Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich) Barça have only around €4M in salary-cap room unless players leave, meaning an affordable loan or a bargain deal would be essential. The club will NOT make a signing just for the sake of it. — @sport
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) November 7, 2026
With Chelsea’s backline continuing to be a cause for concern, it will not be surprising to see the Blues overhaul their defensive ranks in the January transfer window – and probably unlike Colwill, Hato may end up being let go to facilitate able reinforcement.
