Chelsea eye Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Archie Gray as midfield reinforcements

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was a key cog in Leicester Championship-winning side under Enzo Maresca - Getty Images/Marc Atkins

Chelsea have an interest in midfielders Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Archie Gray as the club continue to look at ways of strengthening their squad for new head coach Enzo Maresca.

Dewsbury-Hall was a star performer for Maresca at Leicester City last season, while Gray emerged as one of the most promising players in the Championship at Leeds United.

Both Leicester and Leeds have financial issues to solve, and Chelsea have made their interest in Dewsbury-Hall and Gray clear without making formal offers for either player.

Brighton had been at the front of the queue to sign Dewsbury-Hall and it remains to be seen whether or not Chelsea derail their interest, with one report suggesting the 25-year-old only wants to move to Stamford Bridge.

Leeds are thought to want well over £30 million for 18-year-old Gray, who has also attracted interest from a host of other Premier League and European clubs.

Archie Gray has attracted significant interest from Premier League clubs - Getty Images/Robbie Jay Barratt

Chelsea are looking to build a squad that can potentially cope with a 75-80-game season, including next summer’s Club World Cup.

They have qualified for the Europa Conference League and are aware that their squad will be severely tested by a congested fixture list.

Chelsea are well stocked for midfielders, with Moises Caicedo, Enzo, Conor Gallagher, Romeo Lavia and Lesley Ugochukwu already competing for first-team places, and Andre Santos hoping to get a chance in pre-season to impress.

Interest in Dewsbury-Hall and Gray will only increase speculation over the future of Gallagher, who is currently on England duty and has attracted interest from Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Atletico Madrid.

The Blues have also signed 18-year-old attacking midfielder Omari Kellyman from Villa and have highly-rated Carney Chukwuemeka, who can fill a number of positions, at the club.

Cesare Casadei, who played on loan for Maresca at Leicester last season, has attracted interest from European clubs and may be allowed to leave Chelsea this summer.

Chelsea are signing 18-year-old forward Marc Guiu from Barcelona and are still in the market to sign another striker, a right-footed winger and a left-back.

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