Chelsea are attempting to complete a major midfield overhaul before their opening game of the season against Liverpool on Sunday.
The Blues have been relentlessly chasing Moises Caicedo all summer, and it is understood that talks have progressed well this week.
Last night, the 2021 Champions League winners submitted a £48m bid for Romeo Lavia and will await to see how Southampton proceed.
However, a storyline that has massively swooped under the radar is their interest is Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
What’s the latest on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to Chelsea?
According to the Guardian, Chelsea have been linked with the 24-year-old gem, but Leicester City do not want to sell the midfielder.
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Reputable journalist Simon Phillips provided an update on the situation, stating that contact with his agent has occurred. The player is reportedly ‘happy’ to stay at the King Power Stadium and help them get back to the Premier League, but if the west Londoners accelerate their attempts to sign the midfielder, he’s ‘likely to want the move.’
Phillips also revealed that ‘at least’ eight top-flight sides are keenly tracking Dewsbury-Hall, including Liverpool, who similarly Chelsea, are prioritising midfield reinforcements.
Would Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall be a good signing for Chelsea?
Since making his Premier League debut in August 2021, the £20k-per-week livewire has established himself as one of Leicester’s most consistent and effervescent assets.
During this time, he has become renowned for his intoxicating energy, industrious work-rate and intricate dribbling. Over the past 365 days, compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, the tenacious engine ranks within the top 12% for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90, as well as the best 1% for blocks per 90.
Ahead of Leicester’s unenviable task of targeting promotion, Dewsbury-Hall has already emphatically demonstrated that he is a key performer for Enzo Maresca. In the first game against Coventry, the 5 foot 10 dynamo netted twice in a 2-1 comeback victory with a towering header and a ferocious strike that nestled in the top corner.
He also completed three key passes, five accurate long balls, two tackles, and won 80% of his duels, as per Sofascore.
This performance generated huge praise from opposition manager Mark Robins, who said Dewsbury-Hall could be “one of the best players at this level” this season.
When assessing his style of play, Brendan Rodgers summarised it by saying:
“He is very honest to the game. He has great industry. He runs, works and presses, and he has quality. As a No 8, his job is to create goals and score goals. He’s made a real impact with his honesty and quality.”
As a hybrid between a box-to-box midfielder and an advanced eight, Mauricio Pochettino could develop Dewsbury-Hall in the same manner that Christian Eriksen gloriously flourished under the Argentine coach.
In 255 appearances under Pochettino in North London, the Dane was scintillating, recording 134 goal involvements.
Eriksen’s role was particularly important, acting as the link between the ruthless attacking triumvirate of Harry Kane, Dele Alli, and Son Heung-min, and the formidable defensive pivot of Moussa Dembele and Victor Wanyama.
In the Argentine's current Chelsea set-up, Dewsbury-Hall, who has been described as “top-class” by Rodgers, could be afforded a similar role, whilst providing more defensive stability.
The next step of Dewsbury-Hall’s career is to pinpoint some elusive output, which could be unlocked in an exciting new era for the Blues.