Everton are set to sign Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Chelsea in the summer transfer window.
Everton are closing in on a swoop for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
The Toffees have agreed a fee with Chelsea to sign the versatile midfielder for up to £28 million including add-ons. Dewsbury-Hall only joined the Stamford Bridge side last summer as he reunited with head coach Enzo Maresca, having won the Championship title with Leicester City the previous summer.
However, Dewsbury-Hall was largely a bit-part player for Chelsea in the 2024-25 campaign. He made just two Premier League starts and while he featured heavily en route to Europa Conference League glory, he was dropped to the bench for the 4-1 victory over Real Betis in the final. Dewsbury-Hall also appeared as a substitute in Chelsea’s 3-0 triumph against Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final last month.
The 26-year-old will bolster Everton’s midfield options, which they are in need of. Idrissa Gana Gueye and James Garner are the only current engine-room operators with significant Premier League experience. Dewsbury-Hall, who was wanted by the Blues last January, featured in all three roles in the middle of the park for Chelsea, while he can play on the flank if needed.
After Everton’s 2-2 draw against Manchester United in America, which concluded the Premier League Super Series, manager David Moyes said: “I think there will be deals next week, I think there will be. I think we are getting much closer. I have got to say, I thought that four or five weeks ago, as well. But, obviously, we are getting near the tickly bits and have got to get some things done.
“We know we have to make several additions and we know that. Even for the numbers and we might have people in the squad where we put them out on loan or other things. We are needing, generally, to add to the squad and need to get some of the main players in quickly. I have been saying it from near enough when we finished against Newcastle United that we have to get it done. I generally feel we should be further down but, in the main, it looks as if we’re getting closer and hopefully a few things might come to fruition this week.
“If I didn’t, I’d have to be confident of what we have got and getting results. But it’s not that easy in the Premier League. You can see that we need a lot. We have got a lot of things we have to do to get better.”
Lookman’s verdict
Certainly, one player who will believe Dewsbury-Hall can be a hit on Merseyside is former Everton winger Ademola Lookman. The winger, who could complete a move to Italian giants Inter Milan this summer, was full of praise for Dewsbury-Hall when they played alongside each other at Leicester.
"Dewsbury-Hall is an amazing player,” Lookman told the Foxes’ website after a 2-1 win against Crystal Palace in April 2022. “His energy, his tenacity is what we need and he's very valuable to the squad, to us, and also not just as a player, but as a person as well. He's a cool guy and I get along with him very well."
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