Newcastle United have signed Lewis Hall on a season-long loan with an option to buy for £28 million ($35.79m) at the end of the season.
The 18-year-old joined St. James Park on loan, but the Magpies will have to pay £28m ($35.79m) plus £7m ($8.95m) in add-ons next summer. Hall’s contract will also include a sell-on clause, which means Chelsea will benefit if Newcastle sells the player in the future. The adolescent has been a Newcastle supporter since he was a child and will wear the No. 2 shirt at his new club.
Chelsea have Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella, Ian Maatsen, Zac Sturge, and Ishe Samuels-Smith in their ranks to cover the left defender position. As a result, while the transfer of Hall is unlikely to harm them, it will undoubtedly aid in balancing their books after spending about £900 million ($1.14 billion) in just over a year.
“I’m very proud. Me and my family are Newcastle fans, and for me and my brother growing up, it was drilled into us that we were Newcastle. It’s a big club and I can’t wait to get started,” he stated after signing the deal.
“It’s very exciting. When you look back on last season and the way the team performed – not just the results, but the performances the team were putting in – it was amazing. There’s so many talented players and we’ve got the Champions League now as well so there’s many different competitions that I know the team will be wanting to do well in, and hopefully get a trophy or two as well,” he said.
