Lewis Hall of Newcastle United and Eddie Howe look on
Lewis Hall of Newcastle United and Eddie Howe look on
Chelsea's decision to sell Lewis Hall to Newcastle United has been labelled as 'ill-informed' as the left-back continues to impress.
The 20-year-old joined Newcastle last summer - initially on loan - before the deal was made permanent for a reported £28 million. After limited opportunities in the first team last campaign, Hall has played 20 times this season and has arguably been Newcastle's best player.
Speaking on The Monday Show via The Everything is Black and White Podcast, our Newcastle United Editor Aaron Stokes spoke of his disbelief that Chelsea allowed Hall to leave.
"Saturday, against Leicester City, was the complete performance. He looked assured with Joelinton in-front of him but what I found really good about him was how he wanted to carry the ball forward.
"He looked a threat down the left, he looked a threat through the middle at times and as we saw for one of the assists, the overlap of Anthony Gordon was really what we’ve missed from him. We’ve missed him creating chances like that.
"He has proven week in, week out that Chelsea were terribly ill-informed to get rid of him, and that Newcastle have struck gold."
His form has seen him earn his first England cap with many tipping him to make that position his own for his country, while also continuing to improve on Tyneside.
With Thomas Tuchel taking over the England job in the New Year - there's feeling that Hall could be England's first choice left-back for years to come.
Stokes added: "If you look at that England set-up - and Ben Chilwell who is exiled at Chelsea, Luke Shaw who can’t stay fit or Rico Lewis who is playing in an usually bad Manchester City team, Thomas Tuchel knows Hall really well from Chelsea and I think he’ll be looking at thinking ‘what’s my team going to be?’
"Hall is in with a real shout of being Tuchel’s first choice left-back at England and he deserves it."
You can watch the full episode of The Everything is Black and White Podcast with Aaron Stokes by clicking here or listen to it by clicking here.