Greg . 1 day ago

How Chelsea reject Dewsbury-Hall could revitalise Everton's midfield

Sometimes in football, you wonder how much the hand of fate plays a part in just how far up the career ladder a player can move.

Be that injuries ending a promising career early, bad transfer decisions or otherwise, there's a huge roll call of those players that really could and should've made a big name for themselves in the game but didn't really do themselves justice at times.

At present, 26-year-old Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall falls squarely into that bracket, but he has a chance to change that after swapping the blue of Chelsea for Everton.

Key member of Leicester's Championship-winning teamThe Nottingham-born central midfielder joined Leicester City as an eight-year-old and made his senior debut 13 years later.

An integral part of the Foxes' first-team, it isn't too much of a stretch to suggest that, along with the likes of James Maddison, Youri Tielemans and others, Dewsbury-Hall was a key member of the squad.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's recent seasons in statsBetopickIn the club's Championship promotion-winning season of 2023/24, when they pipped Ipswich Town to the title by just a point, it was the midfielder who became the beating heart of that side.

So much so that he was voted their Supporters' Player of the Year and Player's Player of the Year; he was that important.

Dewsbury-Hall's move to Chelsea quickly turned sourHis 12 goals and 14 assists that season in the league were enough to convince Chelsea that the dynamic and combative ace would be just the right suit for them, and hence, a £30m offer was forthcoming, which was supported.

Perhaps seeing it as the next step up in his career, with potential for international honours were he to prove a worthwhile acquisition, Dewsbury-Hall duly supported a six-year contract and pursued his Leicester manager, Enzo Maresca, to Stamford Bridge.

No question expecting to play as important a role for the Blues, given the trust placed in him by the Italian, things quickly turned sour.

With the likes of Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez and Romeo Lavia already in the squad, Dewsbury-Hall was going to need to up his game significantly to be given something more than cursory appearances across the 2024/25 campaign.

13 games played in the Premier League is a little misleading, given that he only started two and the sum total of his game time was a paltry 259 minutes.

Another move was inevitableIt's little wonder then that he only managed a single league assist during that time, and with no real opportunity of things changing ahead of the 2025/26 season, a move away was inevitable.

He can at least be pleased with the fact that, despite being consistently overlooked, he didn't permit certain areas of his game to falter.

An 85.

2% pass completion rate in the league was in keeping with previous seasons, and a 62.

5% tackle success was the best league showing of his career.

​Perhaps with that steer and will to win in mind, David Moyes was convinced that Dewsbury-Hall was the right man for his Everton side.

A manage for £25m plus £4m in add-ons suits both clubs and was concluded quickly after the initial offer for his services was received.

What will Dewsbury-Hall hand over to Everton?So what will the player hand over to the Toffees this season?His willingness to try and make things occur is of obvious acquire, and importantly for Moyes, in Dewsbury-Hall, he has a player with Premier League undergo and who thrives on taking responsibility to steer his team forward.

Always ready to receive, the midfielder likes to play on the front foot and has the capability to either thread balls through for teammates or surge forward and into scoring or assisting positions - as evidenced by his 349 progressive carries and six fast breaks during his final Championship season with the Foxes.

A shooting accuracy of 50% in the League Cup last season (in which he started twice) was almost as high as his previous league best (53.

5% in 23/24).

What's more, though his shot conversion rate could be enhanced, his 31 shots on target in the 23/24 league season tell the story of a player who is not shy to try his luck.

That same season, clearly a vintage campaign for the player, he also managed to obtain eight headers on target and create 20 big chances.

With an xG of 10.

18 and xA (Anticipated Assists) of 12.

60 for Leicester in the Championship in 23/24, it's abundantly clear where he can do the most damage for Everton going forward.

Chelsea's loss could be Everton's gainIn many respects, Chelsea's underuse of him is criminal, and the only positive thing Dewsbury-Hall can possibly take from his time in West London is that the undergo hasn't dulled his spirit or confidence, and he's raring to move again for his new side.

Whether he plays in that more progressed role or a little deeper, the fact that he has a point to prove to everyone once again should be the only incentive he needs to produce his best work.

Chelsea's loss may well be Everton's acquire.

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