Analysis by Simon Johnson and Rob Tanner

His displays at Dewsbury Hall last season under Mariska for Leicester in the Championship saw him named the club’s player of the year and player of the year (and AthleticChampionship Player of the Season).

It’s no surprise that Mariska is involved in the pursuit, but Chelsea haven’t decided to go along with it just to keep the Italian happy. Dewsbury-Hall fits the system Mariska likes to use and provides something different to what they have in the squad as he is a left-footed midfielder.

In Mariska’s plan, top central midfielders play a key role. With the holding midfielder and full-back anchoring the front of the back three, it is up to the central midfielders to play between the lines and connect the attack with the wide players and the lone striker. Under Mariska, Chelsea will attack with five and defend with five.

At Leicester, Dewsbury-Hall was encouraged to get into the box, to score and assist, while Wilfred Ndidi offered some more defensive insurance if the attack broke down and the opposition countered. It paid off. Dewsbury Hall scored or assisted 29 percent of Leicester’s 89 goals as they secured automatic promotion to the Premier League. He scored 12 times, a goal that was part of a bet with Mariska. His reward? A dinner paid for by the Italian.