Everton have announced the signing of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Chelsea for an initial fee of £25M.
The midfielder links up with the Blues after a frustrating period at Chelsea, where he struggled for league minutes after arriving from Leicester last summer.
Dewsbury-Hall becomes Everton’s fifth signing of the summer window and a badly needed addition to a threadbare squad.
At 26, the new recruit appears to have his best years ahead of him and a combination of Premier League experience and creativity should benefit David Moyes’s squad.
But what exactly will Dewsbury-Hall bring? Let’s delve into the data.
A product of the Leicester City academy, the Nottingham-born midfielder broke into the Foxes’ side in 2021-22, after impressive Football League loan spells at Blackpool and Luton Town. He made 22 league starts as Leicester ended the campaign eighth in the Premier League, but was unable to prevent relegation the following season after a drastic decline.
However, the drop into the second tier arguably allowed Dewsbury-Hall the platform to build on his potential. In a Leicester side that charged towards the Championship title, the midfielder was the driving force. He scored 12 times and added 14 assists from midfield, claiming Leicester’s Player of the Season award. The Championship equivalent went to Leeds winger Crysencio Summerville but there was a strong argument that Dewsbury-Hall was the league’s standout talent.
In that 2023-24 season, Dewsbury-Hall led all Championship midfielders for assists (14) and big chances created (20), while ranking among the top players in his position for touches in the opposition box (3rd), goals (4th), and fouls won (4th).
Instinctively, Dewsbury-Hall is a player who wants to move forward. His Championship-winning season saw him rank in the top 8% of midfielders for progressive carries (3.71) and progressive passes (6.73) per 90. Those numbers remained high during last season’s Conference League triumph (8.19 progressive passes per 90 and 2.47 progressive carries), though admittedly, Chelsea’s opposition was largely limited.
Comfort can be taken from Dewsbury-Hall’s most recent season of regular top-tier football. Despite Leicester’s relegation, he was in the top 16% of midfielders for chances created (1.52), progressive passes (5.15) and progressive carries (2.65) per 90 minutes. Even in a struggling side, a willingness – and capability – to make things happen was apparent.
Dewsbury-Hall no doubt arrives with a point to prove, but that is perhaps what makes him so appealing to Moyes and his recruitment team. After finding the likes of Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer in his path at Chelsea, he joins Everton, eager to show he can perform consistently at the top level.
Able to operate in Moyes’s midfield pivot or in an advanced role, he looks a sensible signing at a sensible price point.
Alongside Iliman Ndiaye, Thierno Barry and the club’s reported interest in Jack Grealish, there appears an emphasis on players who can carry the ball forward in possession. Having held one of the Premier League’s best defensive records in recent seasons, an improving threat in transition could help propel the Blues forward this season. Dewsbury-Hall, whether breaking lines with passing or driving, fits the mould.