Chelsea are holding more talks with Leicester City over Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and could be open to allowing a player to move in the opposite direction if a straight cash deal proves difficult.
Dewsbury-Hall had been poised to join Brighton with Jakub Moder moving to Leicester, but that deal has been placed in the balance by Chelsea’s interest.
Leicester value Dewsbury-Hall at £35 million and are under pressure to raise cash to help comply with profit and sustainability rules.
It remains to be seen whether Chelsea would meet that asking price, but the club have a number of players who could be allowed to make the switch to Leicester.
Striker Armando Broja is understood to be of some interest to the Midlands club, who have lost Kelechi Iheanacho and are looking to sign a striker and a midfielder this summer. Broja is already on the radar of at least two other Premier League clubs, one of which is thought to be Everton.
David Datro Fofana is another forward Chelsea are open to moving in this window. He has interest from European clubs, having spent the second half of last season on loan at Burnley.
Midfielder Cesare Casadei could also leave Stamford Bridge. The midfielder spent the first half of last season on loan at Leicester and shares the same agency as the club’s new manager Steve Cooper.
Casadei has already attracted interest from at least one leading European club this summer.
Chelsea have already completed one deal in which two players moved in opposite directions, with Omari Kellyman moving to Stamford Bridge and Ian Maatsen joining Aston Villa.
Signing Dewsbury-Hall would certainly leave Chelsea needing to sell midfielders, increasing speculation over Conor Gallagher and also raising doubts over the immediate future of Carney Chukwuemeka.
The fact that 25-year-old Dewsbury-Hall is left-footed is attractive to Chelsea, as their other central midfielders are right-footed and he is a player who fits the system of new head coach Enzo Maresca, who managed him last season.
Dewsbury-Hall is seen as a different and more attacking option than Chelsea’s other central midfielders who are likely to challenge for first-team places such as Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Romeo Lavia and Gallagher – if he stays.
Leeds’ Archie Gray, who is valued at over £30 million, is a more similar profile to players Chelsea already have, making it unlikely the club will follow up on their interest in him during this transfer window.
Chelsea remain in the market for a first-team striker, a right-footed winger and at least one more defender.
