New Chelsea signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is confident that Enzo Maresca can work wonders at Stamford Bridge, just as he did at Leicester last season.
The former Foxes duo were officially and swiftly reunited in west London on Tuesday after Chelsea wrapped up a transfer with the newly-promoted Championship winners worth approximately £30million.
Midfielder Dewsbury-Hall, 25, is the latest arrival of another busy transfer summer so far for the Blues as they enter a new era under Maresca, having already clinched deals for ex-Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo and exciting Palmeiras winger Estevao Willian as well as welcoming young duo Omari Kellyman and Marc Guiu from Aston Villa and Barcelona respectively.
Dewsbury-Hall is obviously a player that the newly-appointed Chelsea boss already knows very well indeed, having thrived under his leadership at Leicester and scored 12 goals while laying on 15 assists in 49 appearances across all competitions during Maresca’s one and only season in charge at the King Power Stadium, which ended in the second-tier title and an instant Premier League return.
“I have made it pretty public about what I think of the new head coach,” Dewsbury-Hall told Chelsea’s official website of Maresca, former assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. “He is fantastic. He is top.
“He completely changed the way Leicester wanted to play last season and we saw it worked. I personally fell in love with the way he wanted to play and I know a lot of the other lads did as well.
“I am very confident coming here that he is going to implement his style and that the lads are going to buy into it and are going to enjoy it.
“With more time working with it, it will look more natural and when that happens, it is going to be really good for the football club.”
Dewsbury-Hall’s move to Chelsea ends a 17-year association with Leicester, for whom the former England Under-21 international made 129 appearances in total after rising through the youth ranks and spending time out on loan with Blackpool and Luton.
“What a journey it’s been – 17 years of my life devoted to this club and it’s been a pleasure. I’ve loved every minute of my time at this football club and created some memories & friendships I’ll never forget,” he wrote on Instagram.
“When we were relegated in the 22-23 season, I felt personally responsible for my part played in that. I made it my goal to ensure we got back to the Premier League within the first season, as I know how devastating a position that can be for a club if it doesn’t happen.
“I’m very proud of what we achieved together last season – creating memories of a lifetime for us all. But bigger than that, hopefully going some way to righting the wrongs of that relegation season.”
