'Can do that job well' – Chelsea boss admits Tosin the only CB that can fill Colwill's role

Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca has revealed that Tosin Adarabioyo is the only centre-back capable of filling the void left by Levi Colwill.

Colwill will miss the majority of the 2025-26 season after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury that required surgery.

Maresca emphasized that the tactical role he deploys is not simply about playing on the left side of defense, but rather concerns how the team builds from the back.

Tosin and Colwill shared the pitch in roughly a third of Chelsea's 64 games last season, appearing together in 21 matches across all competitions.

Speaking at Friday's pre-match press conference ahead of the Premier League game against Crystal Palace, Maresca was asked if other defenders could step up on the left side of the backline in Colwill's absence.

He was quoted as saying by Football.London: "It's not on the left side. When we build, we build with Levi in the middle. It's different to the player in the middle on the left side. 

"Last year we played 64 games and we played 64 games with Levi and Tosin. Now Levi is out. 

"The only one that he can do that job well is Tosin. But we have Premier League, Champions League, these kind of players."

Last season, Tosin made 15 Premier League starts but was a near-ever-present in the UEFA Conference League, starting 10 of Chelsea's 13 matches in the competition.

The Nigeria Football Federation target went the distance in Chelsea's final pre-season clash with AC Milan.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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