star has fired an emotional message to Brighton after snubbing them to remain at Stamford Bridge this summer.
despite the Seagulls’ attempts to bring him back to the south coast permanently.
Colwill spent last season on loan at Brighton and helped them achieve a historic sixth-placed finish in the , qualifying for the .
Brighton made no secret of their desire to sign Colwill but Chelsea refused to sell and new head coach  is believed to be a huge fan of the  U21 international centre-back.
Colwill has now posted a message on Instagram and said: ‘To Brighton and Hove Albion… I am proud to have played a small part in the club’s success last season.
‘You gave me an opportunity to play in the Premier League when no one else did.
‘I thank Graham Potter for first bringing me to the club and to all the employees at the stadium and training ground for making it a great place to perform and develop.
‘To the fans, you’ve always had my back! Since I got into the side, your continuous support made me feel comfortable to play the way I wanted to play and not fear about making mistakes.
‘You gave me a platform to shine and show my ability in the best league of the world. I will never forget that you supported me.
‘Lastly Roberto De Zerbi, you challenged me every day! You made me think and see football in a different way. I cannot thank you enough. Thank you again.’
