Chelsea’s transfer windows have followed a similar pattern in the last couple of years – spend in the summer, then reshuffle in the winter.
There are a few reasons for that – mainly because the summer is the better opportunity to spend and bring players in. And then January gives you a chance to correct the course of any mistakes from the summer in terms of loans out or players brought in.
The fact that there are no more European group games or early EFL Cup rounds after January means that there’s also fewer games to keep fringe players happy, so it’s natural to get one or two of them pruned from the main group.
That looks to be what’s going to happen to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at Chelsea. He was only bought in the summer, but even for a player who probably expected to be a backup has played very little.
Until now we’ve not really believed the rumours about potential departures on loan, but now we’ve got word from the reliable Simon Johnson at the Athletic that it could happen. He writes that “Dewsbury-Hall is most likely to leave on loan. West Ham are one of the club interested.”
Dewsbury-Hall could be loaned then sold after failing to impress in 6 month spell
Dewsbury-Hall has not had many chances, and hasn’t impressed all that much when he’s had them. More than anything his issue is that he can only play in roles where we have so many players already. If he was comfortable in front of the back 4, he would have been a much more useful signing.
We can see him being loaned to West Ham for 6 months, then sold in the summer if an offer comes in that allows us to break even on the €35m we paid for him.
Sadly, whatever happens, we’re going to have to put this one down as a major failure from the sporting directors.
