Everton have a contender for Signing of the Season in Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
The Friedkin Group paid Chelsea £28m back in August to bring the Leicester City academy graduate to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, and it has paid off handsomely with six goals and five assists in 23 Premier League appearances from the Englishman so far.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was a victim of the scattergun approach to recruitment at Chelsea, where 39 players made competitive appearances last season, and has now spoken to Opta about why he much prefers the smaller squad at Everton.
How would you feel about Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall becoming Everton’s next captain? 💪
Everton midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
Photo by Richard Martin-Roberts – CameraSport via Getty Images
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall explains why less is more when comparing Chelsea to Everton
In stark contrast to Chelsea, Everton have only used 22 different players in the Premier League this season, fewer than any other team in the division.
While some may accuse David Moyes of overworking these players, Dewsbury-Hall loves the familiarity he gets from playing alongside the same group more often than not.
The 27-year-old said: “It’s good, the fact that we’ve got a smaller squad, so I’m used to playing with similar players. The more you play with them, the more comfortable you get with each other’s traits, so it’s definitely a positive.”
Everton are only five points behind Chelsea after 30 games of the 2025/26 season, so it is even possible that Moyes finishes above Liam Rosenior.
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Should that happen, it would surely leave Dewsbury-Hall feeling quite smug about his decision to leave west London, having barely been given a chance in his one season at Chelsea with only two Premier League starts.
David Moyes could bring another Chelsea outcast to Everton
Not only did Dewsbury-Hall fall victim to the bizarre recruitment strategy at Chelsea, but so did Cesare Casadei.
The Italian made just 17 appearances in two years at Chelsea, and has since fled to Serie A with Torino.
However, reports in Italy claim Everton are in talks to sign Casadei as Moyes aims to add more firepower to his midfield department.
West Ham are also keen.
Remember him at Chelsea… do we need another midfielder? 🫣
Everton target Cesare Casadei.
Casadei actually knows Dewsbury-Hall and boasts an 84% win rate from games played alongside the Everton No.22 while at Chelsea, so a reunion could be on for the pair this summer.
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