Levi Colwill: Chelsea defender praises Enzo Maresca in BBC Football Focus interview

Colwill has been at Chelsea since under-nine level.

“I came through with the likes of Jamal Musiala, Tina Livramento, Myles Peart-Lewis, Lewis Bate. My age group was amazing. You can see the difference between Chelsea academy players and others,” he said.

“The treatment you get at Chelsea, they turn you into animals.

“These players coming up now are different. I don’t know what’s been done there.

“Shim [Shim Mheuka] just made his debut for us.

“Ty [Tyrique George], he’s just electric and you’ve got Josh [Acheampong] who’s going to be one of the best defenders.”

The centre-back revealed the extra meaning his goal in the recent 4-0 win over hometown club Southampton had for him.

“I don’t think many people understand as a kid that’s all I dreamed about scoring against Southampton for Chelsea,” he said.

“Growing up I wasn’t the biggest fan of Southampton. All my mates were Southampton fans and they’d be getting on to me.

“Before I joined Chelsea I was in Southampton’s academy and they were pushing me in the development a bit.

“The love Chelsea gave me when they came in for me, there were levels to it.”