Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly been dealt a blow in their efforts to sign a new midfielder in the summer.
With the summer transfer window opening in June, clubs are beginning to put together their respective shortlists for the upcoming market.
United and Spurs have spent the season competing for a place in the top four of the Premier League standings, yet it appears that both may miss out on their target.
While United are already out of the running, Spurs sit seven points adrift of Aston Villa, albeit with two games in hand, and they must string together a run of wins during the run-in.
Should Spurs join United with no Champions League football to their name, it will impact on their respective transfer budgets, forcing them to look for cheaper alternatives in some instances.
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Dewsbury-Hall comments on future
That realistically brought Leicester City midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall into the conversation having starred for the Foxes in the Championship this season.
A total of 12 goals and 14 assists have been recorded in the second tier, building on the 59 appearances the 25-year-old has previously totted up in the Premier League.
With Leicester in a situation where they are facing Premier League Profit and Sustainability charges, cashing in on a prized asset such as Dewsbury-Hall - a homegrown talent - appeared to be a realistic solution.
Instead, Dewsbury-Hall has insisted that he intends to continue his career with his boyhood club as they bid to re-establish themselves in the top tier of English football.
Speaking at the Foxes' Player of the Year awards, as per The Mirror, he said: "I've been at this club since I was eight years old, I've got no intention of leaving".
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How will Leicester feel about Dewsbury-Hall's comments?
From the perspective of head coach Enzo Maresca, he will naturally be delighted to see one of his key players commit themselves to the project that he is overseeing in the East Midlands.
On the flip side, though, the powers-that-be at the King Power Stadium may feel that the situation is not as cut and dried as they would hope.
As well as needing to meet all Premier League regulations, Leicester have recently faced an EFL transfer embargo and are in a position where they may have to think ahead with regards to potential punishments if they suffer immediate relegation.
Sheffield United, who were confirmed as being relegated from the Premier League last weekend, will start next season on -2 points courtesy of a different punishment related to payments to other clubs, yet it showed that the EFL will enforce penalties should all regulations not be met.
Leicester already face the possibility of starting on minus points in next season's Premier League courtesy of the recently-alleged breach of the Premier League's PSR rules.
Darren Plant
