Newcastle United have pounced once again.
Though the club did not necessarily enter this summer’s transfer window looking to sign a right-back, plans were quickly altered when Tino Livramento became available.
Newcastle have shown a willingness to be reactive this summer and it appears it is a similar case when it comes to Lewis Hall.
The teenager has now become the club’s fourth senior signing of the window.
Hall only agreed to a long-term contract extension at Chelsea earlier this summer and then saw Crystal Palace strike a loan deal with the Blues.
Now, however, he has joined Newcastle after a Chelsea U-turn on an initial loan deal with a more permanent arrangement worth up to £35m to come next summer.
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Indeed, it appears as if Chelsea’s loss will be Newcastle’s gain.
According to The Athletic, there are those in west London, both within the fanbase and the club itself, who feel disappointed by Hall leaving Stamford Bridge.
The report suggests that concerns have been raised that the Blues could be returning to their old model of selling academy players without giving them much of a chance in the first-team.
Newcastle have pulled a blinder at full-back
While Hall is able to operate in midfield too, the fact he can play at left-back is a major boost for Newcastle.
At only 18 and having Dan Burn to learn from, Hall has time to develop under Eddie Howe.
With Livramento – who reportedly cost an initial £30m – doing something similar on the opposite flank under Kieran Trippier’s tutelage, Newcastle have strengthened both full-back positions long-term for less than £100m.
Clearly, only time will tell if those moves work but, on paper at least and given the success of the recruitment thus far, that feels like remarkable business.