Chelsea youngster rejects Mauricio Pochettino offer in favour of £28million transfer
Chelsea offered talented defender Lewis Hall a new six-contract but the England youth international is set to turn it down in favour of securing a move to Newcastle United.
Newcastle United are closing on a deal to land Chelsea teenager Lewis Hall.
Despite having limited first-team appearances for Chelsea, Hall made a strong impression at Premier League level last term. But he finds himself down the pecking order under new boss Mauricio Pochettino, with the likes of Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella and Ian Maatsen in front of him at Stamford Bridge.
Newcastle’s willingness to pay a significant fee – in the region of £28million – for the 18-year-old is testament to his potential, despite the fact the youngster has only nine matches of top-flight experience to his name. The deal for Hall, an England under-21 international, has the potential to exceed the initial fee in the future, according to football.london.
The move comes just weeks after Pochettino’s side had offered Hall – a boyhood Newcastle supporter – a new six-year contract. Chelsea have spent heavily under the ownership of Todd Boehly, with the Blues keen to raise funds through player sales this summer as well as move on some big earners.
N’Golo Kante, Cesar Azpilicueta, Ethan Ampadu, Kalidou Koulibaly, Mateo Kovacic, Christian Pulisic, Edouard Mendy, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Kai Havertz, Mason Mount and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang have all left the club. Hall is now expected to become the latest departure, having – it’s understood – not wanted to go out on loan.
Chelsea have shelled out over £800million since the arrival of American billionaire Boehly just over 15 months ago. Ecuador international Moises Caicedo joined from Brighton and Hove Albion in a record £115million move this week while Romeo Lavia is expected to follow for £58million from Southampton.
Newcastle have been keen to add a new left-back to Eddie Howe’s squad and explored a deal for Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney in recent weeks. Howe said last week: “I’d love one more player, that’s what I’d love personally, and I think then we’d have the ideal depth, but let’s wait and see.
“‘From my position, it is important, it is something I would like to do. But I would adapt and find a way to manage any situation if it’s not ideal. You never get everything that you ideally want.”
Newcastle have lofty ambitions under their Saudi ownership after breaking into the Premier League’s top four last season. They beat Aston Villa 5-1 on the opening weekend of the new campaign.
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