'I can understand why Chelsea have gone for him' - Brighton loan star Levi Colwill issues Graham Potter verdict after brief spell together

Potter left the Amex on September 8 to move to the Blues on a five-year dal following the sacking of Thomas Tuchel.

The 47-year-old was joined at Chelsea by his assistant Billy Reid, first team coaches Björn Hamberg and Bruno, goalkeeping coach Ben Roberts and assistant head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay.

Colwill was one of the last players brought to the Seagulls by Potter before his move to West London.

The highly-regarded England under-21 international defender joined Albion on loan for the duration of the 2022–23 campaign from, ironically, Potter’s new club Chelsea.

The 19-year-old has gone on to make three Brighton appearances in all competitions since his debut on August 7.

Speaking to Football Daily, Colwill, who impressed on loan at Huddersfield Town last season, said: “It’s life, it’s football. If a player gets an offer from a team that’s also in the Champions League and Europe, they’re going to think about it.

“Obviously Graham took his opportunity took his opportunity to take it, so I can’t really say anything about that. I just wish him well.

“You could tell from stepping in on day one [that] he’s such a big person to be around in terms of the team. Everyone respects him for what he does, on and off the pitch.

“You can tell that his levels were the highest that they could be, so I can understand why Chelsea have gone for him.”

The teenager is set for a reunion with Potter at the end of the campaign when his Albion loan spell comes to an end.

But the defender stressed that he was ‘focussed on Brighton’ and hadn’t begun to think about returning to Chelsea.

Colwill added: “To be honest, I haven’t even thought about that. I can’t really think about what’s going to happen in the future.

“Like I said already, I’m focussed on Brighton and that’s the only thing that I can be.”