'It was a no-brainer!' - Lewis Hall reveals why he snubbed Man Utd to spearhead Newcastle’s new era under Matthias Jaissle

Hall has pledged his future to Newcastle by signing a contract extension that keeps him at St James' Park until the summer of 2031. The 22-year-old defender was the subject of significant interest from Manchester United during the summer transfer window, but the Magpies firmly resisted any potential approach.

Hall was equally keen to remain on Tyneside after being won over by the clear vision presented by newly-appointed head coach Jaissle. The defender's decision has already yielded rewards, with the full-back enjoying a strong start to the season and scoring in Newcastle's 2-1 victory over Hull City to move the team up to ninth in the Premier League.

The Chelsea academy graduate has also earned a recall to the England national team after previously missing out on a spot in the World Cup squad.

Addressing the summer speculation surrounding Manchester United, Hall insisted the transfer rumors did not derail his concentration. "No, honestly, it didn't [affect me]," he told Chronicle Live. "I guess whenever you're linked to another team, you know that you're doing something right. I guess it's just a credit to your own performances and how you are as a player, how you are as a person. I took that as a positive, but at the same time, I knew how much I love playing here and I knew that since the manager came in, I knew the ambitions and what we wanted to achieve."

Outlining how quickly Jaissle convinced him to commit his future to the club, Hall added: "After not many conversations, not many training sessions, I knew that the manager was going to be really good for this club and I knew that as a team, bringing in new players and improving the squad was really important and as soon as we did that, it was a no-brainer really to sign."

Hall was also full of praise for Jaissle's management style, stating: "He's a top guy. He's been so good to me. He gives me the licence to express myself as long as I do the defensive work and do the running that's required for this position, which is quite a lot of work. But I'm happy to do it as long as it benefits the team. He's been a positive for everyone who's come in so far."

Manchester United ultimately held fire on a move after Newcastle made their non-negotiable stance clear. However, Old Trafford chiefs remain keen on bolstering their defensive line next summer and have assessed alternative left-back options, including Brighton's Ferdi Kadioglu, Aston Villa's Ian Maatsen, and Racing Santander's Jorge Salinas.

While securing Hall until 2031 is a major statement for Newcastle, the defender acknowledged that remaining at the club long term will depend on fulfilling collective aspirations.

"I think so," Hall said when asked if his new deal reflects a long-term stay. "I think when you're at a team you don't think too far into the future. Obviously, I'm really grateful for the contract that I've received and the trust that I've been given from the board and from the manager and everything like that. But I'm just taking it game by game, just trying to do the best I can for this club. We've got ambitions and as long as we achieve these ambitions and achieve what we want to achieve, I'm sure I'll be here for a long time."

Following his goalscoring display against Hull City, Hall turns his attention to international duty after earning his way back into the England squad.

Upon returning to Tyneside, Hall will look to help Newcastle build consistency under Jaissle as the Magpies seek to climb further up the Premier League standings.