'On his way to medical' – Chelsea scupper Brighton again as Seagulls left in the lurch by midfielder's U-turn
Chelsea appear to have beaten Brighton to the signing of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Leicester.
The Seagulls have held a long-standing interest in the midfielder and tried to sign him last January for £25m.
The 25-year-old, who is valued at around £30m, reportedly completed a medical at Brighton – who were prepared to offer their Poland international midfielder Jakub Moder as a part-exchange.
However, it looks he will instead be reunited with former Leicester boss Enzo Maresca at Chelsea after the Blues came in with similar financial offer.
"Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to Chelsea, here we go!” wrote transfer expert Fabrizio Romano on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday afternoon (June 30).
"Player on his way to medical today ahead of contract signing.
“Deal valid until June 2030 for KDH at Chelsea, reunited with Enzo Maresca.
“Chelsea to pay fee around £30m to Leicester City after final round of talks today.”
Chelsea teenager Michael Golding looks set to go to Leicester in a separate deal, with Moder’s move to Leicester seemingly stalled.
Romano added: “Chelsea have made proposal with same value as Brighton for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall: £30m fee.
"In that case there was Moder as part of the deal, now there will be Chelsea young talent Michael Golding to join #LCFC in separate transaction.”
According to The Telegraph, Brighton are ‘understood to be frustrated’ after Dewsbury-Hal passed a medical earlier this week before having a change of heart.
It is the latest saga in a bitter recent history between the two clubs.
Albion are keen to boost their midfield for their new manager Fabian Hurzeler. It proved a problem position or Brighton last term following last year’s exits of Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo. The Seagulls also lost veteran midfielder Adam Lallana earlier this summer as the former Liverpool man turned down a new deal for family reasons. He has since signed for newly-promoted Southampton.
Brighton’s search for a forward seems to be going better, though, as the club look set to break their transfer record by signing Yankuba Minteh from Newcastle for a fee in the region of £33m, according to The Athletic.