Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall debunks Chelsea rumours and gives exclusive insight into Enzo Maresca

Enzo Maresca's appointment at Chelsea has given Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall an advantage, but the midfielder is no teacher's favourite.

Both men He arrived from Leicester earlier this summer. after helping the Foxes win the championship and seal an immediate return to the Premier League.

Under Maresca, Dewsbury-Hall was transformed, finishing the season as Leicester's most creative player with 15 assists and also their third-highest scorer with 12 goals.

There have been rumours that the pre-existing relationship has led to some well-intentioned taunts towards Dewsbury-Hall from his new team-mates.

But when asked by talkSPORT if he was the professor's favourite, the £30million man was quick to dismiss those suggestions.

“No, I wouldn't say that,” Dewsbury-Hall said.

“I think obviously because I know him, some of the guys just say, 'What's he like?' and joke around with me a little bit.

“But no, I definitely wouldn't say I'm the teacher's favorite.

“In any case, he and I like to fight a little because we know each other.

“But no, it's good that everyone can work with him and see what I had when I worked with him at Leicester. And I hope he can prosper.”

Dewsbury-Hall has not yet appeared in Chelsea on their preseason tour of the United States due to a minor injury.

But while his new team-mates have spent weeks adjusting to Maresca's ideas, Dewsbury-Hall hasn't missed much.

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“Obviously, that was an advantage – the fact that I already knew a lot of the coaching principles,” the 25-year-old continued.

“So even though I wasn't training, I was still able to talk to the guys about what we were working on.

“It's good that now that I'm back in training I know what the guys have been doing and the movement patterns and everything else. That's made it easier.”

For years, Chelsea have been crying out for a midfielder who can contribute goals, and Maresca spent much of last year trying to turn Dewsbury-Hall into that player.

Asked why his attacking performances soared under the Italian, the former Leicester star said: “It was probably a mixture of a lot of things.

“I spoke to the manager and we talked about a lot of things in terms of movement, positioning and just my mentality to want to score on assists and just have the hunger and enthusiasm to get into the box.

“It was a combination of everything. Fortunately, it was achieved last season. I hope it happens again this season.”

Maresca traditionally used a 4-3-3 at Leicester, with Dewsbury-Hall playing as the most advanced midfield.

Chelsea fans can expect an emphasis on possession, plenty of attacking intent and intense pressing from their new manager.

On his specific role under Maresca, Dewsbury-Hall said: “I think he just wants a player who knows the role well, who knows what positions to take in possession and someone who can contribute in terms of goals and assists.

“That's a big part of his No. 8. He wants them to be involved in attacking play, to get into the box and know the role and the positions and also to press out of possession. He wants them to be aggressive and press high.

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“That's why I think if you have all those fundamentals, you are a good candidate for the position.”

But what about Maresca as a person? Chelsea have seen it all in recent years, from the confrontational style of Antonio Conte to the accessible Mauricio Pochettino.

And Dewsbury-Hall suggests Maresca has that balance right.

“He's very focused, very passionate and determined about what he wants to do,” the midfielder told talkSPORT.

“So we know that when we step on the football field, it's all work and nothing else.

“And then we'll know when we can have our alone time with him.

“He's a good man. He was in football for 20 years as a player, so he knows what it's like. He has great balance, which is good.”