Goodbye Chelsea? Lewis Hall seemingly deletes farewell message to Blues fans amid reports of permanent Newcastle transfer

The left-back swapped the Blues for the Magpies in August on a loan deal with an obligation to buy at the end of the season for £28 million ($36m). Manager Eddie Howe said he was "not 100 per cent sure" the 19-year-old would join them permanently but the boyhood Newcastle fan may have let slip that his 12-year stay with Chelsea is set to come to an end.

A screenshot of the now-deleted Instagram post was uploaded on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday evening.

The caption of Hall's post read: "After 12 amazing years with this club, I just want to say thank you to everyone [at Chelsea]. Growing up through the academy, I always aspired to play for the first team, and I'm so proud to have been able to do so... To the staff and players of both the academy and the first team, thank you for helping me develop into the person I am today."

He added at the end: "Chelsea will always have a special place in my heart."

Chelsea are well stocked in the left-back department, with Marc Cucurella, Ben Chilwell, Ian Maatsen, and more, among their long-term options. The Blues need to sell some players to balance the books if they want to stay within the financial fair play rules and moving on an academy player is extra helpful in that regard. Plus, Newcastle have a number of injuries and don't have as much depth in that position, so the move works for both parties. However, it is another sign that Chelsea are not placing much importance on developing a pathway from the academy to the first-team with this deal.

It may be a matter of time before the permanent transfer of the teenager is announced. In the meantime, the Magpies host Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday.