£30m decision, January exit, Maresca choice - Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall Chelsea transfer verdict

When Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall joined Chelsea from Leicester in July, there was an expectation that the midfielder was going to be an important member of Enzo Maresca's squad this season.

Dewsbury-Hall, who worked with Maresca at Leicester last season, made the £30m switch to Stamford Bridge over the summer. The 26-year-old scored 12 goals and added 15 assists in 49 appearances for the Foxes as they romped to the Championship title.

Despite impressing in pre-season, Dewsbury-Hall was named on the bench for Chelsea's Premier League curtain-raiser against Manchester City. He made his full debut against Servette in the Europa Conference League and came on for another cameo in the top flight, this time at Wolves.

But since the turn of the September international break, Dewsbury-Hall has played just SIX minutes of Premier League football. Dewsbury-Hall has been a more prominent figure in the Conference League and Carabao Cup, but he reached a new low after not starting the 8-0 win over Noah on Thursday.

For someone that signed for £30m and was dubbed as a 'Conor Gallagher replacement', it has been a nightmare start to life at Chelsea so far - but where does Dewsbury-Hall's future lie? Can he get more game time at Stamford Bridge or should he be looking elsewhere for an exit route in January?

Here, our football.london writers take a look at the state of play regarding Dewsbury-Hall and his start at Chelsea since his £30m move...

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Kieran King

After working with Enzo Maresca at Leicester last season, I would have thought that Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall would have got more game time than he has so far. Yes, he has had to compete with the likes of Enzo Fernandes, Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo for a starting spot, but Dewsbury-Hall knows Maresca's system inside-out and proved last season that he can flourish in it, even if the standard was a little lower.

The fact he was left out Chelsea's 'B team' starting XI against Noah and has played just 43 minutes of Premier League football this season shows how it's going for Dewsbury-Hall right now. The answer is: not very good and worrying considering even Renato Veiga has jumped above him in the pecking order. That is no disrespect to Veiga, but not many expected him to be preferred to Dewsbury-Hall.

Where does this now leave the ex-Leicester man? Well, he is no doubt going to fight for his place but would a move away be better for both parties?

Chelsea have a bloated squad and offloading Dewsbury-Hall might present opportunities for younger players to come through and get chances in the first-team. As for Dewsbury-Hall, he is in the prime age of his career and needs to be playing week-in-week out, so could be tempted for a January move, whether that be on a permanent or on loan to another Premier League club.

Amie Wilson

Dewsbury-Hall is the victim of Chelsea’s options in midfield, but he must have expected at least a bit more game time when he made the move to Chelsea in the summer. It was a signing that the Blues probably didn’t need to make, despite Dewsbury-Hall being one of the standout players under Maresca last season.

It’s a situation that damages the player more than anyone. Dewsbury-Hall is a midfielder who thrives on game time - not getting that after moving away from his boyhood club is going to be difficult for any player, let alone one who has already proven himself in the Premier League - before his move to Chelsea he’d already played 59 times in the competition for Leicester, it’s not like he’s a young player arriving at Stamford Bridge.

Six months after paying £30 million, I can’t see Chelsea agreeing to a permanent move at a much lower price. I therefore think that a loan move in January will be the best option.

There is bound to be interest from other Premier League clubs in the midfielder. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a loan move back to Leicester happen when the window opens.

Jake Stokes

I'm not surprised that Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has struggled for game time at Chelsea, with Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia managing to stay fit. While the Blues forked out £30m for his signature, the former Leicester City ace would've known that he was going to be a squad player.

Dewsbury-Hall can't have any complaints. He knew what he was signing up for when he penned that six-year contract. And, if he really expects to play significantly more games for the Blues then he either needs to wait for an opportunity to impress on the big stage or go out on loan.

I wouldn't be surprised if a few Premier League clubs try to wrap up a deal in January, but I can't see him leaving. All it takes is one injury and suddenly Dewsbury-Hall could be given a run of games in the starting lineup.

If he rises to the challenge then he could quickly be undroppable. If he fails to impress then he could be flogged in the summer. Who knows? The midfielder has taken a gamble by joining Chelsea, so he obviously backs himself.

Matthew Abbott

The only reason Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's move to Chelsea even made sense in the summer was the presence of Enzo Maresca at Stamford Bridge. But three months later, he can barely get a game under his former Leicester City manager, leaving the midfielder with a decision to make in the new year.

Conference League football and Premier League cameos look set to be the extent of his involvement between now and then, with the Blues out of the League Cup. At 26, that should be nowhere near good enough for someone who outlined ambitions to play for England before and after making the move.

It is not a stretch to hypothesize that, in an alternate reality where Dewsbury-Hall stayed at his boyhood club, he could have made it into one of Lee Carsley's experimental squads this autumn. That such a scenario has not even come close to happening is already a damning inditement on one of the season's most surprising transfers.

Brighton and Hove Albion are long-time admirers of the player and could revive that interest during January. However, the signings of Brajan Gruda and Matt O'Riley may equally mean they no longer need more midfielders.

Leicester, though, are likely to welcome their academy graduate back with open arms after making a decent start to the season in his absence. A loan could well suit both parties to avoid Dewsbury-Hall becoming the next Danny Drinkwater.

Isaac Johnson

The worst stance Dewsbury-Hall can adopt is having blind hope that things might change should his current nadir continue. Now 26, this is no time in his career to play as a rotation player.

He has earned most minutes in the Europa Conference League but from January, the club can register three new players in the squad at the expense of three current choices. Dewsbury-Hall is very much at risk of being a part of an axed trio.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are out of the League Cup and there are only five FA Cup matches before the final. He will have a number of loan-takers in January, former club Leicester City being one of them, and he ought to consider them.