Chelsea and England have been dealt a crushing blow with Levi Colwill forced to undergo surgery on an ACL injury suffered on his first day back in pre-season training.
The influential 22-year-old picked up the serious problem in the final few minutes of the Blues' opening session of 2025-26 after a three-week break following the Club World Cup.
He was sent for a scan to assess the damage and after Chelsea's worst fears were confirmed, an immediate decision was taken to send him for an operation.
The club last night told us that his surgery had been successful, but Colwill will be sidelined for a significant period, much like James Maddison at Tottenham Hotspur after he likewise suffered a ruptured ACL this week.