1. Overview
Kiernan Frank Dewsbury-Hall (born September 6, 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Chelsea. He began his career at Leicester City, progressing through their academy and making his first-team debut in 2020. After successful loan spells at Blackpool and Luton Town, he established himself as a key player for Leicester, notably contributing to their 2023-24 EFL Championship title win. In 2024, he transferred to Chelsea, reuniting with former Leicester manager Enzo Maresca. Known for his box-to-box style, high stamina, and strong passing, Dewsbury-Hall contributes significantly to both defensive and offensive play.
2. Early Life and Background
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's formative years and initial steps into professional football were rooted in the East Midlands of England.
2.1. Birth and Upbringing Background
Kiernan Frank Dewsbury-Hall was born on September 6, 1998, in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England. He grew up in Shepshed, Leicestershire. Dewsbury-Hall is of Irish descent.
2.2. Youth Career
Dewsbury-Hall began his football journey at a young age, joining the Leicester City Academy in 2006 at the age of eight. Prior to joining Leicester, he played for Shepshed Dynamo Warriors in the Leicester Mutual League at under-8 and under-9 levels. His dedication and talent were recognized early, leading him to sign his first professional contract with Leicester City in June 2017. In 2019, his performance in the youth setup earned him the prestigious Development Squad Player of the Year award.
3. Professional Career
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's professional career has seen him rise through the ranks at Leicester City, gain valuable experience on loan, and eventually make a significant transfer to Chelsea.
3.1. Leicester City
Dewsbury-Hall spent the majority of his early professional career at Leicester City, developing from an academy prospect into a vital first-team player.
3.1.1. Early Career and Professional Contract
After joining the Leicester City Academy at age eight in 2006, Dewsbury-Hall progressed steadily through the youth ranks. His potential was formally acknowledged when he signed his first professional contract with the club in June 2017. His strong performances for the youth teams culminated in him being named the Development Squad Player of the Year in 2019, highlighting his promising future at the club.
3.1.2. Loan Spells
To gain senior team experience, Dewsbury-Hall embarked on two impactful loan spells.
On January 27, 2020, two days after his first-team debut for Leicester, he joined Blackpool on loan for the remainder of the 2019-20 season. He made an immediate impact, scoring a consolation goal on his debut the very next day in a 2-1 away defeat to Wycombe Wanderers, after coming on as a half-time substitute for Grant Ward. He made 10 appearances for Blackpool, scoring 4 goals.
On October 16, 2020, after signing a new four-year contract with Leicester, Dewsbury-Hall moved to Luton Town on a season-long loan. During his time at Luton, he became a key player, making 40 appearances, scoring 3 goals, and providing 6 assists. His impressive performances were recognized at Luton's end-of-season awards ceremony, where he won four accolades, including the Players' Player of the Season award.
3.1.3. First-Team Debut and Key Seasons
Dewsbury-Hall made his first-team debut for Leicester City on January 25, 2020, as a substitute for Kelechi Iheanacho in a 1-0 FA Cup victory over Brentford.
His Premier League debut came on August 28, 2021, when he appeared as a substitute for James Maddison in a 2-1 away win against Norwich City. On December 10, he scored his first goal for Leicester City in a 3-2 defeat to Napoli in a UEFA Europa League group stage match. His first Premier League goal followed on April 10, 2022, in a 2-1 home victory against Crystal Palace. On June 24, 2022, recognizing his growing importance, Leicester City secured his future by signing him to a new long-term contract, extending until 2027.
The 2021-22 season saw Dewsbury-Hall emerge as a more prominent figure. Despite limited playing time in the first half of the season due to new midfield signings, he gradually established himself as an indispensable player, earning the trust of both the manager and supporters with his exceptional work rate throughout matches. He made 28 league appearances and scored 1 goal. At the end of the season, he was awarded both the Young Player of the Season and the Players' Player of the Season awards by Leicester City. He was also included in the UEFA Europa Conference League Team of the Season.
The 2023-24 season was particularly significant for Dewsbury-Hall. Following Leicester City's relegation to the EFL Championship, many key players departed, and his own future was subject to speculation. However, he chose to stay, expressing his ambition to become the "best player in the league." He proved instrumental in Leicester's successful campaign to return to the Premier League, contributing significantly to their Championship title win. He scored two goals in the opening game of the season against Coventry City on August 6, 2023, including the winning goal in the 87th minute. He scored another brace on October 4, helping Leicester defeat Preston North End 3-0. As a mainstay in Enzo Maresca's team, he achieved double-digit goals and assists, recording 12 goals and 14 assists in the league. His outstanding performances led to him receiving Leicester's Players' Player of the Season and Men's Player of the Season awards. He was also named in the EFL Championship Team of the Season and the PFA Team of the Year. By the time of his departure from Leicester City, he had made 129 appearances for the first team, scoring 17 goals.
3.2. Chelsea
On July 2, 2024, Dewsbury-Hall completed a transfer to Chelsea for a reported fee of 30.00 M GBP. This move marked a reunion with his former Leicester City manager, Enzo Maresca, who had joined Chelsea earlier in the summer. He signed a five-year contract with the London club.
He made his debut for Chelsea on August 18, 2024, coming on as a substitute in a 2-0 league loss against Manchester City in Chelsea's opening match of the 2024-25 Premier League season. On October 3, he scored his first goal for Chelsea, contributing to a 4-2 victory over KAA Gent in the first match of the UEFA Conference League league phase, scoring Chelsea's fourth goal.
4. Style of Play
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is characterized by his dynamic and energetic box-to-box style of play, enabling him to cover extensive areas of the pitch. His attributes include strong passing skills, excellent ball control, and significant contributions in both defensive and offensive phases of the game. Defensively, he is known for his effective tackling, while offensively, he excels at creating scoring opportunities. His high stamina is a key asset, allowing him to consistently press opponents and recover the ball throughout matches. He aims to emulate club legends with his playing style.
5. Personal Life
Born in England, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is of Irish descent.
6. Career Statistics
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's career statistics reflect his progression through youth and senior football, including his loan spells and current tenure at Chelsea.
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Leicester City U21 | 2017-18 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |||||
| 2018-19 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||||||
| 2019-20 | - | - | - | - | 5 | 2 | 5 | 2 | ||||||
| Total | - | - | - | - | 11 | 2 | 11 | 2 | ||||||
| Leicester City | 2019-20 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2020-21 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 2021-22 | Premier League | 28 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 3 | |
| 2022-23 | Premier League | 31 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 34 | 2 | |||
| 2023-24 | Championship | 44 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | - | 49 | 12 | |||
| Total | 103 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 129 | 17 | ||
| Blackpool (loan) | 2019-20 | League One | 10 | 4 | - | - | - | - | 10 | 4 | ||||
| Luton Town (loan) | 2020-21 | Championship | 39 | 3 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 40 | 3 | |||
| Chelsea | 2024-25 | Premier League | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 |
| Career total | 160 | 22 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 18 | 4 | 12 | 2 | 208 | 28 | ||
7. Honours
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has accumulated several team and individual accolades throughout his career.
- Leicester City
- EFL Championship: 2023-24
- FA Community Shield: 2021
- Individual
- Leicester City Development Squad Player of the Year: 2018-19
- Luton Town Players' Player of the Season: 2020-21
- Leicester City Young Player of the Season: 2021-22
- Leicester City Players' Player of the Season: 2021-22, 2023-24
- UEFA Europa Conference League Team of the Season: 2021-22
- EFL Championship Team of the Season: 2023-24
- Leicester City Supporters' Player of the Season: 2023-24
- PFA Team of the Year: 2023-24 Championship