£28m Newcastle United star's latest snub is perhaps his most telling to date after 'new signing' claim

Following another game in which the left side of Newcastle United's defence was targeted by an opposition team, the Tino Livramento over Dan Burn argument is once again in full flight yet Lewis Hall's name barely gets a mention unless the question 'what is going on?'

And that is the £28million question. That figure is precisely how much of Newcastle's summer transfer budget will go towards signing the 19-year-old permanently having agreed a loan with an obligation to buy with Chelsea at the beginning of the campaign.

It is, in many ways, a bonkers situation when you consider Hall has started just five of United's 36 matches in all competitions, his last being the 2-0 defeat to AFC Bournemouth in November when he was brought off at half-time.

"It wasn't really a reflection on Lewis' performance," Eddie Howe explained after the game. "With our early substitution and we know at this moment Lewis won't play a full 90 minutes and I didn't want to impact my ability to make changes from the bench so that was the reason for the decision."

Hall has only once played longer than 45 minutes and that was when he scored in Newcastle's 3-0 win at Manchester United in the Carabao Cup. If it were fitness holding Hall back, then what is it now?

Because in the midst of an injury crisis, where the absentee list has hit double figures, the player has barely got a look in. Yes, he's had cameo appearances here and there but hasn't made it off the bench in past five matches.

To many, the overlooking of Hall is a mystery but read in between the lines of Howe's post-match comments after Saturday's 2-2 draw with Bournemouth and you can draw your own conclusions.

As Newcastle chased an equaliser, the pacey and attack-minded Hall remained an unused substitute while Joe White, who at the start of the year was on loan at League Two side Crewe Alexandra, was called upon instead.

"To talk a little bit individually about Joe, he's come back from a loan spell and really matured," said Howe. That loan spell has done him the world of good and he's trained really, really well and I'm very, very pleased with him. He's almost been like a new signing for us. 

"Of course by training well you earn my trust and I thought that was a good moment to put him on the pitch for his Premier League debut and I thought he did really well actually. I'm delighted with him."

Mentions of "training well" and "trust"... it is no slight on White by the way, who deserves enormous credit. But the 21-year-old has been back a month, while Hall has been here all season.

Maybe you can point to White being a recognised midfielder, so naturally is viewed as a more suitable attacking option, but let's not forget Hall played in the same position for most of his youth career until the switch to left-back a couple of years ago. Perhaps that is another reason, and Hall is still learning what it takes to be a full-back.

The word back from Newcastle is Hall is one for the future and will be given time and patience. That is all fine and well if you're looking to the next two or three years but for the here and now, Hall isn't aiding the current situation.