Brighton and Hove Albion loan signing Levi Colwill is expected to return to Chelsea next season to be part of the first-team set up.
The club has no sale or further loans planned for the defender, the PA (Press Association) news agency understands.
The 20-year-old has impressed this season on loan at Brighton, making 10 appearances in the Premier League although he cannot face Chelsea today because of a clause in the loan contract.
And last season he helped Huddersfield to reach the Championship play-off final.
Colwill has featured five times for England Under-21s, most recently during Lee Carsley’s side’s 4-0 win over France last month.
Reports had linked the defender with a move to Liverpool this summer, with Jurgen Klopp planning to rebuild his team.
But PA understands that Chelsea have a three-year option on his contract and he will be back at Stamford Bridge next term.
A decision on the club’s next manager is not believed to be imminent, with the process to find a permanent successor to Graham Potter continuing.
PA understands that there is not currently a clear favourite among the hierarchy.
The club’s co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart are conducting a more thorough search than the one that led to Potter’s appointment last September, just 24 hours after the sacking of Thomas Tuchel.
Former Spain and Barcelona coach Luis Enrique was in London last week for talks while Julian Nagelsmann, who left Bayern Munich last month, has also been contacted.
Interim manager Frank Lampard is expected to remain in charge of the team until the end of the season.
