Chelsea could be set to offer Levi Colwill a new deal over the summer to extend his stay at Stamford Bridge following his spell out on loan.

Do Chelsea need more defenders?

This season will not be remembered fondly by many in west London with the Blues failing to get their hands on a trophy and finding themselves fighting to finish inside the top four.

And this has come on the back of some serious financial backing from their new owners which has seen a lot of money spent on their defence.

Indeed, over the last two transfer windows the Blues have spent around £220m on defenders alone yet find themselves potentially looking to strengthen with the return of Colwill.

The England U21 international has spent the campaign away on loan with Brighton & Hove Albion where he has made eight starts in the Premier League this season (via Transfermarkt).

Speaking on his Here We Go podcast, Fabrizio Romano has suggested when the £5k-per-week star returns in the summer, he is likely to be offered a new deal at the Bridge:

(12:30) "Just quickly on Levi Colwill, the centre-back who's doing very well at Brighton. Chelsea consider him an important player for next season.

"So Chelsea want Levi Colwill to be part of the squad next season and to offer him a new contract. It's also important to say that the player wants to feel important. He wants to play football so how much game time he will have is going to be crucial for the future of Levi Colwill."

Can Colwill make an impact on the Chelsea side?

Despite the issues experienced in west London this season, their defence has not been one of them with only three other sides having conceded fewer than their 33 goals.

The Blues, as aforementioned, now have a huge number of options in defence with some serious talent in the centre of their defence.

Having previously spent some time out on loan in the Championship, Colwill has been hailed as a star to watch with Lewis O'Brien suggesting he will have a "fantastic career".

And it is apparent he is catching the eye of other Premier League clubs with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur believed to hold an interest in the youngster.

This does beg the question of whether there is a clear pathway for the Englishman into the starting XI at Chelsea given the owners' willingness to splash the cash.

Looking ahead to next season, Colwill could well have Thiago Silva, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile and Kalidou Koulibaly all ahead of him in the pecking order.

Although the youngster will likely back himself to do his best to earn a spot in the manager's thinking, there is some serious talent ahead of him.

Whether that could possibly spell out another loan deal may come into his thinking, but it will be intriguing to see if he feels Staford Bridge is somewhere that he has a long-term future in the starting XI.