Newcastle win triggers £28m transfer fee windfall to ease Chelsea FFP concerns
Chelsea loanee Lewis Hall is set to leave the club this summer in a permanent switch to Newcastle United following their 4-0 thrashing of the Blues' London rivals Tottenham at St James' Park this afternoon.
The 19-year-old left-back originally broke through the ranks at Stamford Bridge in the final few weeks of last season's torrid campaign which saw him handed opportunities to show his talents by club legend and then-caretaker manager Frank Lampard, including starting each of the four final Premier League matches which helped him win the club's Academy Player of the Year award.
However, with the arrival of current Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino, Hall was seemingly seen as surplus to his requirements with vice-captain Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella and makeshift full-back Levi Colwill ahead of him in the pecking order. Therefore, he was sent on loan up north, with Eddie Howe's side agreeing to a contract with an obligation to buy included — a move many supporters immediately picked up on.
Since then though, Hall has started just six times under Howe since his loan move started in August, having played just 308 total league minutes behind the likes of Dan Burn and Tino Livramento. Despite that, Howe has opened up about the youngster's progression at St James' Park over the last few months and has previously hinted at the likelihood of the star's permanent move happening.
«In terms of my thinking, I’m preparing for Lewis to be at Newcastle for many years,» Howe explained last month. «He was always brought in with a long-term view, not as a short-term signing. He is a long-term signing.
»We have always believed in him and his quality and we have been working really hard with him on his game. He’s a really talented lad. He’s got a
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