Chelsea 'contact Prem rivals' after getting green light to beat Man Utd to £40m transfer

Chelsea have reportedly made contact with Leicester to sound out their interest in acquiring the services of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

The midfielder flourished under the management of new Blues boss Enzo Maresca last season, and a reunion is now firmly on the cards.

Dewsbury-Hall scored 12 goals and registered 14 assists for the Foxes, and his performances caught the attention of several Premier League outfits. Manchester United, Brighton and Brentford have all been linked with the 25-year-old over the past few months, though Chelsea have now seized the advantage to secure his signature.

According to The Athletic, Chelsea have contacted Leicester to express their interest in Dewsbury-Hall, with the player keen to head to Stamford Bridge this summer if he is to leave his boyhood club, despite strong interest from United and their INEOS decision-makers.

The Blues are yet to table a formal offer for the Englishman, though an approach could be imminent as Leicester need to raise funds before July 1 to avoid any further Profit and Sustainability Rules issues.

A fee in the region of £40million has been speculated previously as enough to lure Dewsbury-Hall away from the King Power Stadium, though it remains to be seen whether Chelsea attempt to negotiate a lesser deal.

The midfielder is viewed as a ‘perfect fit’ for the style of football that the higher powers at Chelsea are keen to play, and his relationship with Maresca certainly is not a negative as the Blues look to splash further cash in the transfer market.

They have already secured the signature of Tosin Adarabioyo this summer, hijacking Newcastle’s move for the defender after he left Fulham as a free agent. Chelsea also have an agreement in place with Barcelona prospect Marc Guiu and are closing in on a deal for Boca defender Aaron Anselmino.

Signing Dewsbury-Hall could possibly see Conor Gallagher pushed further out of the door at Chelsea, with his contract situation at the club still unresolved and the midfielder still firmly being linked with a move away, despite his desire to remain with his boyhood side.

Tottenham and Aston Villa have both been heavily linked with the England international this summer and his future is likely to be resolved upon returning from Euro 2024, may that be via a departure or a fresh contract being agreed.