'I want to be better than him' — Chelsea's Colwill names 33-year-old Premier League defender as idol

One of the major reasons for Chelsea's impressive performances this season is the settled defensive partnership between Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill.

Colwill, in particular, has cemented his place as the Blues first-choice defender, leading to an England call-up last month.

The 22-year-old is full of ambition and has spoken of his desire to be one of the best defenders in the world, but he still has some way to go to achieve that.

Speaking in a recent interview, Colwill spoke about his admiration for Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk, recalling an incident from last season.

"I remember marking him in the box, and he said something to me—I accidentally told him to 'shut up.'

"His look was priceless like he was thinking, 'Who is this kid?' I instantly felt like I had disrespected him, and it hit me hard! It was a surreal moment, though.

"Looking at him, I was thinking, ‘I want to reach that level or even become better than him when I'm older"

Colwill will hope Chelsea's good run can continue as the Blues look to compete at the top end of the table under new boss Enzo Maresca.