Chelsea defender Levi Colwill has reportedly emerged as a transfer target for Tottenham Hotspur.
While the centre-back is yet to make a single first-team appearance for the Blues, the 20-year-old is regarded as one of the club's best academy graduates for a number of years.
Colwill has been provided with the chance to earn game time elsewhere, initially helping Huddersfield Town to the Championship playoff final before linking up with Brighton & Hove Albion.
Although the England Under-21 international has been restricted to 12 starts and three substitute appearances, he has made enough of an impression at the Amex Stadium to put himself very much in the shop window.
Manchester City and Liverpool have recently been linked with Colwill as they each consider whether to make additions to their first-team squad.
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From Chelsea's perspective, they are allegedly eager to retain the services of the youngster, as well as hand him a new long-term contract.
Nevertheless, whether Colwill stays at Chelsea may be dependent on the club's upcoming financial issues, the West Londoners in need of making a wide array of sales to fulfil FFP regulations.
Parting ways with a homegrown talent would go a significant way to boosting their efforts to balance the books, something which will not be lost on another top-flight rival.
According to The Sun, Spurs are monitoring the situation ahead of making their own additions ahead of 2023-24.
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Spurs are currently without a permanent head coach, but chairman Daniel Levy is having to put together a shortlist of potential targets in order to avoid falling behind in the race for new players.
The North Londoners may soon have to take their homegrown quota into consideration, depending on whether the likes of Japhet Tanganga and Harry Kane remain at the club this summer.
Chelsea may also find themselves in a similar position if they give the green light for several academy graduates to move elsewhere, that route being identified by the owners as a route to make pure profit in the eyes of FFP.
However, the report adds that Chelsea currently have no intention of allowing Colwill, who has a contract until 2025, to leave the club over the coming months.
Darren Plant
