Chelsea are on the verge of finalising a deal for Leicester City midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who led the Foxes to the Championship title with a series of standout performances and seen him named in the Championship team of the year.
The 25-year-old, who impressed on loan at Blackpool in League One in 2020, appeared from the bench as Leicester lifted the Community Shield in 2021 with a 1-0 win over Manchester City at Wembley Stadium.
Former Loanee’s Development Ignites Interest From Premier League’s Elite
Dewsbury-Hall was loaned to the Seasiders in January 2020 to gain first-team experience. He impressed, scoring winners against Bolton Wanderers and Ipswich Town before the COVID pandemic ended the loan spell prematurely.
His four goals and an assist in ten appearances displayed his talent in the third tier but it was his time at Luton Town that seen him highlighted as a major prospect.
He ranked in the top ten for shots per game, fifth for successful dribbles and joint second for key passes of all central midfielders that made more than 15 appearances in the 2020/21 Championship campaign.
His total of three goals and six assists playing in a defensive midfield role highlighted that his future would be playing further up the pitch.
The 2021/22 season was the one where Dewsbury-Hall was given a run in the Leicester City team, accumulating 59 Premier League appearances and catching the eye with his ball-carrying skills, and versatility across the six, eight and ten positions.
His playmaking attributes were there in a struggling Leicester side and they were unleased as the Foxes dropped into the second tier last season.
The player was destined to play in the top flight and has caught the eye of one of the Premier League’s elite. He may force his way into the England setup if he impresses with his potential new employers.
Enzo Maresco Seals Reported £30 Million Deal to Bring Dewsbury-Hall to Chelsea
New Chelsea manager Maresco had a front-row seat to the immense talent of Dewsbury-Hall, having managed him in his most prolific season to date. His 12 goals and 14 assists were instrumental in helping Leicester bounce back at the first time of asking.
Fabrizio Romano is reporting that the fee is in the £30 million range and it could be a shrewd signing as it is an area that the Blues look particularly light.
Conor Gallagher, Enzo Fernandez, Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo are excellent footballers but they lack the creativity that Dewsbury-Hall can offer and Leicester’s number 22 linked up impressively with a number of his attacking team-mates last season.
Dewsbuy-Hall set up four of Stephy Mavididi’s goals, three of Kasey McAteer’s strikes and three of promising winger Abdul Fatawu’s six goals.
If he can replicate that type of partnership with Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson it will provide the type of creativity that the Blues were missing under Mauricio Pochettino last season.
Cole Palmer was the standout star in forward areas with 11 assists but the creativity from the middle of the pitch was limited to a dependence on Conor Gallagher and with the England midfielder entering the final 12 months of his deal, there could be an impending departure for the 24-year-old as Chelsea look to comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.
Dewsbury-Hall ranked first for shots per game, second for successful dribbles, first for key passes, and first for assists per game in the Championship of all central midfielders with more than 20 appearances and was one of the standout stars in the second tier and Chelsea have secured the services of one of the most talented English midfielders in the game.
After the circus of transfer activity since Todd Bohely’s takeover of the Blues, this one appears to be one of the best deals they secured under his regime.