It has been a tough start at Newcastle United for Lewis Hall, but things could suddenly be about to change.
The 19-year-old signed for Newcastle United on loan during the summer, but has been unable to make much of an impression. He has struggled for minutes on Tyneside, with Eddie Howe unconvinced by his defensively ability.
It has led to suggestions from fans that Newcastle might not sign Lewis Hall permanently from Chelsea, but that is not the case. A £28million deal is still on the cards, with the Magpies obligated to buy him depending on where they finish in the Premier League.
Whether they like it or not, Hall is going to sign permanently this summer. But that might suddenly be a good thing, as the teenager showed real signs of quality during his last appearance.
He came off the bench during Newcastle’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City before the international break, and really impressed everyone with his cameo. Eddie Howe was very happy with what he saw from Hall, and a new report suggests that it could prove to be a turning point for the youngster.
Eddie Howe now seeing improvement in Lewis Hall
That is according to journalist Joel Bland, who has taken to X to provide an update on how Newcastle manager Eddie Howe now feels about Hall heading into the final 10 Premier League games of the season.
He wrote: “Eddie Howe has expressed to coaches this week that he was impressed with Lewis Hall’s display against Man City and believes the 19-year-old has improved his defensive understanding. In contention for increased minutes over the remaining period of the season.”
Lewis Hall could now play more for Newcastle United this season
With 10 games to go, it appears that Hall suddenly has the chance to make an impact. He has barely featured all season, with that appearance against Manchester City just his 12th since arriving.
Hall has made eight Premier League appearances, one of which was a start. That was the 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth back in November.
But for months now, fans have been calling on Howe to give Hall more minutes. The Toon boss has been reluctant to do just that, even though his squad has been stretched to the absolute limit.
However, Hall did get a chance before the international break, and he appeared to seize it. And this update from Joel Bland suggests that it could now lead to him playing even more.
That is excellent news for Hall, and it could be good news for Newcastle too. Left-back has been a problem position, with Dan Burn struggling to hit the heights he did last season.
Now Hall could offer an alternative, and it will be interesting to see if the teenager features against West Ham United on March 30th.
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