Chelsea close to landing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Leicester City for £30m

Chelsea are close to making a breakthrough in talks with Leicester City and hope to complete the £30million capture of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall on Sunday.

Former Leicester manager Enzo Maresca is ready to pounce on his old club for the midfielder after days of negotiations between the two clubs.

Dewsbury-Hall, 25, will now move to Stamford Bridge and Chelsea teenager midfielder Michael Golding will move to Leicester in a separate deal.

Dewsbury-Hall’s expected transfer is sure to frustrate Brighton, who have targeted him in the last two transfer windows. Telegraph Sports is understood to have undergone a medical at Brighton this week after the two clubs agreed a fee.

However, Maresca have now moved for the player who contributed hugely to Leicester’s promotion last season, with confirmation expected in the next 24 hours.

The fact that Dewsbury-Hall is left-handed is attractive to Chelsea as their other central midfielders are right-handed and he is a player who fits Maresca’s system. He was appointed to implement a new style of play at Stamford Bridge.

Dewsbury-Hall is seen as a different and more attacking option than Chelsea’s other central midfielders, who are likely to compete for first-team places, such as Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Romeo Lavia and Conor Gallagher – if the latter stays.

The loss of Dewsbury-Hall will be a blow for Leicester, but head coach Steve Cooper will now plan his pre-season preparations and focus on new additions.

Leicester have been left with little option but to make a significant sale this month as they grapple with the Premier League’s financial controls.

After being charged in March, Leicester are under pressure to raise around £40m before the June 30 deadline.

The sale of Dewsbury-Hall, and Chelsea’s £10m bankroll for Maresca and his six backroom staff, will give the club a major boost in their attempts to avoid further breaches.