Newcastle United ready to confirm their first summer signing ‘very soon’ after activating Premier League clause.
Newcastle United is expected to sign Lewis Hall on a permanent basis from Chelsea at the end of the season. Hall spent the 2023-24 season on loan with Newcastle, with a £28 million buyout clause subject to performance standards. While it is understood that the conditions have been completed and Newcastle will sign the 19-year-old this summer, the club has provided no official update.
When asked if the conditions for Hall’s permanent signing had been met, Howe responded, “We can give you an update on that pretty soon.”
After a rocky start to his loan term at Newcastle, Hall has been an important player for Eddie Howe since returning to the starting lineup in recent games. The kid stated that he struggled during his first months at the club, since he only made one Premier League start in Newcastle’s first 29 league games this season.
However, he has now started six of United’s past eight Premier League games, scoring in the 3-2 loss to Manchester United on Wednesday. And Howe is pleased with Hall’s growth after working with him on the training ground this season.
“I think for any player when you come to a new club, especially for someone so young, it’s natural there will be a settling in period and adjustment, not just in terms of the training but in terms of his life, how he feels, how comfortable he feels,” said Howe. “There is always a process to go through; you don’t just arrive here…” Even Bruno [Guimaraes] did not arrive here and start playing right away; he had to acclimate, and many people forget that.
“I believe he did exceptionally well to commit and be consistent in his efforts, despite the fact that he was undoubtedly unhappy that things were not going as quickly as he would like. “But I think that’s the same for any player, he did really well at Old Trafford and showed a lot of maturity for someone so young and I’m delighted with where his game is at, at the moment.