Chelsea look to exploit PSR loophole in move for Leicester star

Chelsea are making a late bid to sign Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Leicester City. The dynamic midfielder was apparently set to join Brighton after the Seagulls completed a deal with the Foxes. Leicester have agreed to send Dewsbury-Hall to Brighton for Jakub Moder plus cash. Moder, a fellow midfielder, has just competed at Euro 2024 with Poland.

However, the swap deal has since collapsed after the Leicester star blocked the move. This comes even after Dewsbury-Hall already had a medical booking at the South Coast club. However, The Athletic report that Chelsea have now swooped in to take advantage of Brighton’s failed transfer.

The Blues, like Brighton, are currently closing in on a similar deal to sign the highly-rated midfielder. Chelsea look set to include at least one player in the Leicester deal. Although the exact player is yet to be confirmed, Fabrizio Romano claims that it will likely be either David Datro Fofana or Cesare Casadei.

Fofana split his time on loan in the 2023/24 campaign between Union Berlin and Burnley. The centre-forward scored six goals in a total of 32 games this season. Casadei, on the other hand, is a midfielder who could directly replace Dewsbury-Hall. Interestingly enough, the Italy youth international spent the first half of the most recent campaign on loan at Leicester.

The potential Dewsbury-Hall move reunites the midfielder with the Chelsea manager

Chelsea being keenly interested in Dewsbury-Hall makes sense for a number of reasons. For starters, the midfielder is considered Leicester’s best player at the moment. He scored 12 goals and also provided 14 assists from midfield during last season’s championship run. His successful campaign was crucial in Leicester’s recent promotion back to the Premier League.

Not only is the midfielder a rising star, but Chelsea’s new head coach is certainly familiar with the player. Enzo Maresca left Leicester earlier this summer to join the Blues. Dewsbury-Hall featured regularly as part of a midfield trio in the manager’s attacking 4-3-3 last season. The Italian coach sees the Englishman as a perfect fit in his system.

The deal between Chelsea and Leicester is not done yet. Reports claim that the Foxes are still not happy with the terms of the offer. However, Dewsbury-Hall is reportedly only willing to move to Chelsea if he leaves his current club. The midfielder looks set to stay with the Foxes this summer if a deal is agreed with Chelsea.

The Blues have taken heat for dubious summer transfer offers

Chelsea’s late move for Dewsbury-Hall also falls in line with the club’s recent transfer moves. The Blues, like other Premier League teams, are reeling from possible profit and sustainability (PSR) breaches. As a result, the west London outfit are being creative with their transfers this summer.

Chelsea recently agreed to sell defender Ian Maatsen to Aston Villa for around $47 million. In turn, Villa are sending relatively unknown youngster Omari Kellyman to Chelsea in a deal worth $24 million. The deals, which help both clubs battle their PSR problems, have raised eyebrows across England. Premier League officials have even written to teams to express their concern over the seemingly dubious transfer offers.

However, the Blues continue in their fight to avoid a PSR breach. Assuming Fofana or Casadei are included in the Dewsbury-Hall deal, they would technically move to Leicester in a separate transfer. Structuring the deal in this way benefits both Chelsea and the Foxes. Like the Blues, Leicester also face PSR concerns. The newly promoted side could soon face a points deduction back into the top flight.

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