Newcastle United in 2023
Despite Lewis Hall’s recent lack of playing time, Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has maintained that the youthful full-back is still part of the team’s long-term plans. Hall is on loan from Chelsea.
After signing with the Magpies at the close of the summer transfer window, the 19-year-old has made just four appearances for Howe, logging just 76 minutes of play time. This is a sharp contrast to the end of the previous season, when the young player flourished after interim Blues manager Frank Lampard gave him the chance to start the final four league games.
However, since then, he has only contributed to two victories out of his seven appearances away from Stamford Bridge in all competitions. This is because new manager Mauricio Pochettino deemed him unnecessary following his arrival during the preseason’s opening. In spite of this, concerns have been raised over the permanent deal provision in his loan agreement, which might result in the player permanently departing the Blues at the conclusion of the current campaign.
The Magpies manager has acknowledged that it would be difficult to finalize his transfer, but he still hopes to have him join the team for the upcoming season. Howe asserted: “He’s got a good settle in. He’s doing well, but I believe there are several parts of his game that require improvement.
“We are fully confident in his abilities and what he can provide the squad. We collaborate with him every day, and he works behind the scenes on a variety of projects.
He was brought in with an eye on both the present and the future, of course, to compete for positions. It would just require a small amount of patience on our part. He is playing a significant role.”
Many fear that Hall’s departure will lead to another of Chelsea’s notorious errors, in which they sell off a young star before either having to live to regret their decision or buying them back later at a higher cost. Hall came up through the Blues academy system.
When asked about the chances of Hall staying at the club long-term, the head coach said: “Absolutely. His transfer is complicated in terms of structure and he hasn’t quite hit the requirements. But he’s part of our long-term plans.”
