According to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, new Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca will “surprise people” by getting the team competing for big awards and making it to the Champions League right away.
The 25-year-old, who played a key role in Leicester City’s Championship-winning squad that was promoted to the Premier League the previous season, moved £30 million to Stamford Bridge last month, following his former boss.
Dewsbury-Hall told BBC Sport, “The manager was a big catalyst in wanting me to come.”
“If everyone can buy into the system, I know how he was able to galvanize that from Leicester, a team that fell down and had a lot of issues.
“I sincerely believe that we can strive for at least the top four, if not better, in a short period of time.
“He may be unknown for a lot of people, but he is top, top level. He will surprise a lot of people.”
Dewsbury-Hall was Leicester‘s Player and Players’ Player of the Year last season under Maresca, excelling as an attacking midfielder with 12 goals and 15 assists – his best figures as a professional.
He could make his Chelsea debut in Saturday’s pre-season friendly against Celtic in Notre Dame, California (21:00 BST) after missing the 2-2 draw with Wrexham.
Dewsbury-Hall features in some of the video clips of Leicester which Maresca is using to get his tactics across and he added: “A couple of the lads have had a laugh and joke [about me being the teacher’s pet], I don’t mind – it’s all fun and games.
“You are getting lads coming up to me and asking questions. I am happy to let them know what my opinions and experiences are. They will gather their own opinions week by week.”
Dewsbury-Hall believes Maresca will be successful where other managers, such as Mauricio Pochettino, Graham Potter and Thomas Tuchel, have struggled under the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital ownership.
“We’ve only been doing it for two or three weeks but the combination plays are really quick and tidy,” he said. “That’s after two weeks. I remember he said to us at Leicester after six months or a year, there might be teething problems at the start but it will improve.
“Within the first week at Leicester I was convinced this was top, top level. I felt a bit stupid, I thought I knew a lot about football but he was teaching me things on a daily basis that I didn’t really know before. He has an aura, he can be strict, or gentle and soft – he has both sides.
“I am getting the same feedback here with the lads. They’ve bought into it here from minute one which is exciting. With a system and philosophy you need everyone to buy in because, if they do, you can really achieve something.”