Newcastle United set to hijack Premier League move as £28m transfer agreed

Newcastle United have reportedly agreed a £28million fee with Chelsea to sign teenager Lewis Hall on a permanent basis.

The Evening Standard reported on August 10 that Hall was in line to join Crystal Palace on a season-long loan after agreeing a new six-year contract at Stamford Bridge. However, in a major turn of events, the 18-year-old is set to become the Magpies’ fifth summer signing, as per the Daily Telegraph.

Having spent a British record £115million on Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo - taking Chelsea’s spending under the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital led consortium to £900m - the West London club need to raise funds in order to comply with Financial Fair Play rules.

And Hall represents the Blues’ best hopes of doing that with the Telegraph claiming Newcastle’s offer was “was too good to turn down”. The initial £28m fee is set to rise over time through clauses.

Newcastle themselves have spent around £130m on signing Yankuba Minteh, Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento this summer. Head coach Eddie Howe spoke last week of needing to be “creative” in the final weeks of the window amid FFP restrictions.

“Personally, I’d love one more player and then I think we’d have the ideal depth at this moment with the injuries that we currently have,” Howe said prior to the club’s 5-1 opening day Premier League win over Aston Villa. “But, let’s wait and see.

“I think we may have to be creative with this last player. It’s difficult to make that a definite because again it would depends on injuries between now and the window shutting.”

The England youth international featured 11 times for Chelsea last season and started both Premier League fixtures against Newcastle, where he was named The Blues’ player of the match in the 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge back in May.

Last month, Hall fuelled talk of a potential move to St James’ Park when he followed Newcastle United and players such as Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson on Instagram. He does have connections to Newcastle. His brother Connor, who plays for National League side Solihull Moors, is a self-proclaimed Magpies fan.