I would counter the argument against this signing with Adam Wharton. I imagine plenty of Chelsea fans would want him. But they would never have accepted the club buying him from Blackburn
Thanks again, Luke as always for a very good insight of this player and the transfer. Not necessary the most exciting transfer I think it’s an important one and he gives us balance being left footed which we don’t have at the present time in central midfield. We also lack goals from central midfield over the last couple of seasons and therefore if he helps improve this statistic, then he will be a valuable squad member.
Always rated him since I first saw him play for Leicester. His goal contribution numbers last year were crazy. If we can even get half of that output next season he will be more than a bargain.
$30M seems like a fair price esp when you take into consideration the Golding sale the other way which takes it down to $20M. Nice to see that we are not overpaying for these types of players (see Zappacosta and Drinkwater) and that we are using sales for players who otherwise wouldn’t get a game to reduce our risk.
I think the big key is that even if the midfield looks a bit overcrowded this season, we might look back and see this as a really good depth signing from next summer onwards when we're likely to see at least two, if not all three, of Gallagher, Casadei, and Chukwuemeka leave the club. Take those three out and even with adding Santos and Paez, and the midfield starts to look a bit short on depth, especially if Ugochukwu doesn't develop.
I like the signing, especially if you are planning on Gallagher not being here after next summer. And consider that at 25, KDH gives you a bit of a cushion for Paez to come in and have time to settle while also not really blocking his entry to the first team when he's ready, because I think that hybrid 8/10 might end up being Paez's best position.
im sorry but this is the mid-table transfer (not good -not bad) ...not anywhere good enough to move the needle & there will be no market for him if he does poorly.
3 PL goals and another undersized midfielder added.
still think we will struggle defensively when you have Enzo, Palmer, Nkunku and one of Sterling / Mudryk, Drewsbury playing in the middle... no matter what tactic Meresca comes up with.
There are bigger needs at striker, winger, left back and maybe a GK... but yeah lets drop 30m on player we dont need... then cry about we are in PSR trouble and that we need to be patient with the current people running the club so they can fix it (when it was their decisions which got us here in the first place)
another point... if he really was such a big transfer priority for us why we needed to wait till he was having Brighton medical to make a move? Or is this project / strategy just about gazumping rivals in the transfer market and stay mid-table?
When he & Leicester came to the bridge I was really impressed and he took up a lot of positions out wide on the left. I wonder if the hierachy see him as a player that can play out there. He's fast, has great feet, can cross & finish. I think personally with how stacked we are in the midfield we could see him on the left, like the signing a lot.
He'll be out on loan within 18 months. A totally pointless signing on every single conceivable level given the players we have at the club. Chukwumueka for instance should absolutely be ahead of him in any pecking order.
This has all the hallmarks of a dreadful signing. It's a squad purchase and it's exactly what we shouldn't be doing.
We've spent £50m in the last few days on players who won't sniff our first team based on ability, whilst refusing to pay up for Olise, who would clearly improve us.
He shone in the Championship. So did Burnley, and look what happened to them when they came up. If you look at his PL stats, he has 3 goals in 60 games. He's not a youngster, he's almost 26. This is not someone remotely close to good enough for what we're aspiring to be, he doesn't improve our team in any way whatsoever.
He's a Brighton / Wolves level player and to suggest otherwise is ridiculous.
Edit - I'd absolutely take Archie Gray over him, Spurs are buying a much better player IMO.
I think I could write we are signing Bellignham for a fiver and you would still see the negative side at the minute Mitch, which from an opinion side of things is your prerogative.
I appreciate your views and opinions but to come out and say "ridiculous" on a piece of work that is not only factual and statistical but also took me hours to piece together is a little disrespectful.
Have your opinion absolutely, but please keep the negative comments to opinions and not to my opinions (we are ALL entitled to them) or the work that is being put in to write these articles up, that other people appreciate.
I appreciate the writing and the effort, but I don't see how using Championship stats is relevant to how he will play in the PL, when we already have PL stats for him? Go to https://mclachapp.streamlit.app/Player_Comparison and put in Dewsbury-Hall from 2022 and compare him to Conor from last season. There's only one winner here.
I call a spade a spade - and IMO we've wasted £50m in the last few days. Olise was available, would absolutely have improved the first team and we've instead spent it on two players who clearly don't.
I hated us wasting money on squad players under Roman, and we're doing it again. We should only be signing players who improve our first team. Look at the money we have wasted on squad players and how we could have used it to actually improve the team.
Firstly, comparing Olise to KDH is incomparable, different players, different positions etc etc.
I was a huge advocate for Olise, we didn't get the deal done that's been and gone we have to move on its football at the end of the day.
But comparing him in a pretty poor Leicester PL side is equally irrelevant, he will be playing in a much better team, in a system he has already flourished in and around better players.
Squads are what win you competitions and are what keeps consistency levels up more importantly, to have someone like KDH who is a good player be able to come in seamlessly either off the bench or as rotation is a great option to have.
See that's where I disagree. We shouldn't be padding the squad out with players of his age who are unproven in the PL. It's making the same mistakes we did under Roman when we signed Zappacosta, Emerson, Drinkwater etc.
I am a firm believer that we should only sign players who improve the first team, with squad players coming from the academy.
Ironically, if we're talking Championship players, I've been much more impressed with Archie Gray. He definitely has something about him.
I just don't think Dewsbury-Hall is good enough, nor is he better than Chukwumueka, Santos etc. We already have those players on our books. I'm equally against signing CBs for the same reason.
If - and it's up for debate - the argument was that you need a further midfielder despite the hundreds of millions already spent, then we should be buying a better player, not spending £30m on a player who's demonstrably nowhere near as good as Gallagher.
You can't bring in an Archie Gray to sit on the bench, it stunts his development and potential, a KDH is a much better squad option with Gray obviously having a much higher ceiling.
This squad needs experience to counteract the youthful element to it and I for one am relieved we aren't just signing 20 year old after 20 year old and actually signing some players with a bit of experience.
I don't think we necessarily needed an extra midfielder but one thing we have lacked from midfield for a VERY long time is numbers and IF (its still IF at this point) KDH can contribute with 15 in all comps as a rotation/squad player that is money well spent for me.
Gallagher is a good footballer and he's a Chelsea boy so I automatically love him, BUT I don't see him having a big impact in this system if for example you have Enzo and Lavia as the deep 6 options, Caicedo and Gallagher/Santos as the slightly reserved 8 and KDH/Chukwuemeka/Palmer as the attacking 8's that is good balance, We are going to play upwards of 65+ games this season as well as the typical injuries to contend with. There will be minutes for anyone and a KDH doesn't stunt a pathway of a Chukwuemeka or a Santos he just lessens the burden of minutes within the squad, brings a knowhow of Maresca's system and the ability to contribute in the final 3rd.
very well said Mitch.. great points in this thread and totally agree with them
@Luke - we love you work here. its very detailed... i think the issue most of us have that we have thrown away money recently on moves which will not make us better. If fans were asked what positions we need to upgrade or add to ... most of the people would have picked striker, winger, LB and GK. So this is a pointless signing.
Some fans here (not pointing the finger at you) just like to celebrate however we sign and then bring all sort of excuses to justify that deal.
Far from celebrating the signing, providing a profile on a player that fans may or may not know about.
I think he is a good player with a profile that we lack, did we need an extra midfielder? No. do we need more goals in our squad? yes.
Speaking of his last PL season is going back over a year, he has developed and grown tactically in that time and one would assume ability wise as well.
There would/could have been better uses of that money but also if he was/is one of the top midfield targets and they sensed the chance to get him on a good deal then I dont blame them its the whole point of having top targets. It will only be hindsight (end of the transfer window) we will be able to comment if he is/was needed. Who knows what outgoings will happen in the next 2 months??
I hadn’t done the math. But interesting comparison. Same type of player. Never say never, but seems we are so far away from a backbone like Czech, Terry, Lampard, Drogba.
We have lacked numbers from midfield for a very long time and as long as he can translate his numbers across (in a much better side and a better league) it is an attribute in a midfielder we have been crying out for for a long time.
Ideally, I don't think him matching his Championship outfit. If anything, I think Gallagher this season and KDH next season are just keeping the seat warm for when Paez is ready to contribute to the first team, because I think that's actually Paez's ideal position once he's settled and ready. This buys you some time to ease him in during 2025-2026.
Excellent write up, Luke.
I would counter the argument against this signing with Adam Wharton. I imagine plenty of Chelsea fans would want him. But they would never have accepted the club buying him from Blackburn
So so true Alex
Solid player, but when Gallagher had 16 PL goal involvements and Carney is right there, it seems like a misallocation of funds to me
Thanks again, Luke as always for a very good insight of this player and the transfer. Not necessary the most exciting transfer I think it’s an important one and he gives us balance being left footed which we don’t have at the present time in central midfield. We also lack goals from central midfield over the last couple of seasons and therefore if he helps improve this statistic, then he will be a valuable squad member.
Always rated him since I first saw him play for Leicester. His goal contribution numbers last year were crazy. If we can even get half of that output next season he will be more than a bargain.
$30M seems like a fair price esp when you take into consideration the Golding sale the other way which takes it down to $20M. Nice to see that we are not overpaying for these types of players (see Zappacosta and Drinkwater) and that we are using sales for players who otherwise wouldn’t get a game to reduce our risk.
I think the big key is that even if the midfield looks a bit overcrowded this season, we might look back and see this as a really good depth signing from next summer onwards when we're likely to see at least two, if not all three, of Gallagher, Casadei, and Chukwuemeka leave the club. Take those three out and even with adding Santos and Paez, and the midfield starts to look a bit short on depth, especially if Ugochukwu doesn't develop.
I like the signing, especially if you are planning on Gallagher not being here after next summer. And consider that at 25, KDH gives you a bit of a cushion for Paez to come in and have time to settle while also not really blocking his entry to the first team when he's ready, because I think that hybrid 8/10 might end up being Paez's best position.
Thorough & helpful Luke - as always. Looking a good signing & excited for pre season
Excellent analysis of KDH, Luke.
im sorry but this is the mid-table transfer (not good -not bad) ...not anywhere good enough to move the needle & there will be no market for him if he does poorly.
3 PL goals and another undersized midfielder added.
still think we will struggle defensively when you have Enzo, Palmer, Nkunku and one of Sterling / Mudryk, Drewsbury playing in the middle... no matter what tactic Meresca comes up with.
There are bigger needs at striker, winger, left back and maybe a GK... but yeah lets drop 30m on player we dont need... then cry about we are in PSR trouble and that we need to be patient with the current people running the club so they can fix it (when it was their decisions which got us here in the first place)
another point... if he really was such a big transfer priority for us why we needed to wait till he was having Brighton medical to make a move? Or is this project / strategy just about gazumping rivals in the transfer market and stay mid-table?
When he & Leicester came to the bridge I was really impressed and he took up a lot of positions out wide on the left. I wonder if the hierachy see him as a player that can play out there. He's fast, has great feet, can cross & finish. I think personally with how stacked we are in the midfield we could see him on the left, like the signing a lot.
He'll be out on loan within 18 months. A totally pointless signing on every single conceivable level given the players we have at the club. Chukwumueka for instance should absolutely be ahead of him in any pecking order.
This has all the hallmarks of a dreadful signing. It's a squad purchase and it's exactly what we shouldn't be doing.
We've spent £50m in the last few days on players who won't sniff our first team based on ability, whilst refusing to pay up for Olise, who would clearly improve us.
He shone in the Championship. So did Burnley, and look what happened to them when they came up. If you look at his PL stats, he has 3 goals in 60 games. He's not a youngster, he's almost 26. This is not someone remotely close to good enough for what we're aspiring to be, he doesn't improve our team in any way whatsoever.
He's a Brighton / Wolves level player and to suggest otherwise is ridiculous.
Edit - I'd absolutely take Archie Gray over him, Spurs are buying a much better player IMO.
I think I could write we are signing Bellignham for a fiver and you would still see the negative side at the minute Mitch, which from an opinion side of things is your prerogative.
I appreciate your views and opinions but to come out and say "ridiculous" on a piece of work that is not only factual and statistical but also took me hours to piece together is a little disrespectful.
Have your opinion absolutely, but please keep the negative comments to opinions and not to my opinions (we are ALL entitled to them) or the work that is being put in to write these articles up, that other people appreciate.
I appreciate the writing and the effort, but I don't see how using Championship stats is relevant to how he will play in the PL, when we already have PL stats for him? Go to https://mclachapp.streamlit.app/Player_Comparison and put in Dewsbury-Hall from 2022 and compare him to Conor from last season. There's only one winner here.
I call a spade a spade - and IMO we've wasted £50m in the last few days. Olise was available, would absolutely have improved the first team and we've instead spent it on two players who clearly don't.
I hated us wasting money on squad players under Roman, and we're doing it again. We should only be signing players who improve our first team. Look at the money we have wasted on squad players and how we could have used it to actually improve the team.
Firstly, comparing Olise to KDH is incomparable, different players, different positions etc etc.
I was a huge advocate for Olise, we didn't get the deal done that's been and gone we have to move on its football at the end of the day.
But comparing him in a pretty poor Leicester PL side is equally irrelevant, he will be playing in a much better team, in a system he has already flourished in and around better players.
Squads are what win you competitions and are what keeps consistency levels up more importantly, to have someone like KDH who is a good player be able to come in seamlessly either off the bench or as rotation is a great option to have.
See that's where I disagree. We shouldn't be padding the squad out with players of his age who are unproven in the PL. It's making the same mistakes we did under Roman when we signed Zappacosta, Emerson, Drinkwater etc.
I am a firm believer that we should only sign players who improve the first team, with squad players coming from the academy.
Ironically, if we're talking Championship players, I've been much more impressed with Archie Gray. He definitely has something about him.
I just don't think Dewsbury-Hall is good enough, nor is he better than Chukwumueka, Santos etc. We already have those players on our books. I'm equally against signing CBs for the same reason.
If - and it's up for debate - the argument was that you need a further midfielder despite the hundreds of millions already spent, then we should be buying a better player, not spending £30m on a player who's demonstrably nowhere near as good as Gallagher.
You can't bring in an Archie Gray to sit on the bench, it stunts his development and potential, a KDH is a much better squad option with Gray obviously having a much higher ceiling.
This squad needs experience to counteract the youthful element to it and I for one am relieved we aren't just signing 20 year old after 20 year old and actually signing some players with a bit of experience.
I don't think we necessarily needed an extra midfielder but one thing we have lacked from midfield for a VERY long time is numbers and IF (its still IF at this point) KDH can contribute with 15 in all comps as a rotation/squad player that is money well spent for me.
Gallagher is a good footballer and he's a Chelsea boy so I automatically love him, BUT I don't see him having a big impact in this system if for example you have Enzo and Lavia as the deep 6 options, Caicedo and Gallagher/Santos as the slightly reserved 8 and KDH/Chukwuemeka/Palmer as the attacking 8's that is good balance, We are going to play upwards of 65+ games this season as well as the typical injuries to contend with. There will be minutes for anyone and a KDH doesn't stunt a pathway of a Chukwuemeka or a Santos he just lessens the burden of minutes within the squad, brings a knowhow of Maresca's system and the ability to contribute in the final 3rd.
very well said Mitch.. great points in this thread and totally agree with them
@Luke - we love you work here. its very detailed... i think the issue most of us have that we have thrown away money recently on moves which will not make us better. If fans were asked what positions we need to upgrade or add to ... most of the people would have picked striker, winger, LB and GK. So this is a pointless signing.
Some fans here (not pointing the finger at you) just like to celebrate however we sign and then bring all sort of excuses to justify that deal.
Far from celebrating the signing, providing a profile on a player that fans may or may not know about.
I think he is a good player with a profile that we lack, did we need an extra midfielder? No. do we need more goals in our squad? yes.
Speaking of his last PL season is going back over a year, he has developed and grown tactically in that time and one would assume ability wise as well.
There would/could have been better uses of that money but also if he was/is one of the top midfield targets and they sensed the chance to get him on a good deal then I dont blame them its the whole point of having top targets. It will only be hindsight (end of the transfer window) we will be able to comment if he is/was needed. Who knows what outgoings will happen in the next 2 months??
Rather see Carney play and think the money could’ve been way more effective elsewhere. Seems like it’s a signing to pander to Maresca if anything.
Is KDH another Lampard in the making? How do these numbers compare to Frank’s at this stage?
He's almost 26 and has 3 PL goals.
When Frank was about to turn 26 he had 45 PL goals for comparison.
He (frank) had played 210 games more in the PL at that stage for context.
I hadn’t done the math. But interesting comparison. Same type of player. Never say never, but seems we are so far away from a backbone like Czech, Terry, Lampard, Drogba.
We are, that’s the past and we have to realise that, we may never have a spine like that again
We have lacked numbers from midfield for a very long time and as long as he can translate his numbers across (in a much better side and a better league) it is an attribute in a midfielder we have been crying out for for a long time.
Ideally, I don't think him matching his Championship outfit. If anything, I think Gallagher this season and KDH next season are just keeping the seat warm for when Paez is ready to contribute to the first team, because I think that's actually Paez's ideal position once he's settled and ready. This buys you some time to ease him in during 2025-2026.