Newcastle sign Lewis Hall on loan from Chelsea with obligation to buy for £28m as teenage left-back embraces Champions League opportunity

Newcastle United have signed Lewis Hall from Chelsea on a loan deal with an obligation to buy at the end of the season for £28 million ($36m).

Hall joins Newcastle
Will play in the Champions League
Magpies could pay £35m including add-ons

WHAT HAPPENED? The 18-year-old has completed his move to St. James Park on an initial loan deal, but he will join the club outright for £28m ($35.79m) plus £7m ($8.95m) in performance-related add-ons next summer. Hall's contract will also have a sell-on clause which will see Chelsea receive a sizeable fee if Newcastle sell the player in the future. The teenager is a Newcastle fan from his childhood and will wear the No. 2 shirt at his new club.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Chelsea are well covered in the left-back position as they have Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella, Ian Maatsen, Zak Sturge and Ishe Samuels-Smith in their ranks. Hence, the transfer of Hall is unlikely to hurt them but will definitely help in balancing their books after spending close to £900m ($1.14bn) in just over a year.

WHAT THEY SAID?: "I’m very proud. Me and my family are Newcastle fans, and for me and my brother growing up, it was drilled into us that we were Newcastle. It's a big club and I can't wait to get started," Hall stated after signing for Newcastle.

He added on the Magpies' emergence as a major Premier League force under Eddie Howe and the prospect of playing in the Champions League: "It's very exciting. When you look back on last season and the way the team performed – not just the results, but the performances the team were putting in – it was amazing. There's so many talented players and we've got the Champions League now as well so there's many different competitions that I know the team will be wanting to do well in, and hopefully get a trophy or two as well."

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