Chelsea defender Colwill undergoes ACL surgery

LONDON (AP) — Chelsea defender Levi Colwill could miss a big portion of the upcoming season after undergoing surgery Thursday for a torn ACL.

The 22-year-old center-back, a mainstay in Enzo Maresca's lineups last season, sustained the knee injury early this week in pre-season training, the Premier League club said.

"Levi will now begin his recovery and be supported by the club's medical department at Cobham during his rehabilitation phase," the team said in a statement.

The England international made 35 Premier League starts last season for Chelsea, which qualified for the Champions League. He also helped the team win the Club World Cup title last month — keeping Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele in check — and earlier the UEFA Conference League title.

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