11 March 2024 , 09:02
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Newcastle will be without Lewis Hall for their Premier League game against Chelsea on Monday night because he is ineligible to face his parent club.
Hall joined the Magpies on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy back in August and has made 11 appearances in all competitions this season. The 19-year-old left-back has been a fixture on the Newcastle substitutes’ bench this season, with the likes of Dan Burn and Tino Livramento preferred by Eddie Howe.
Newcastle will sign Hall permanently at the end of the campaign, having agreed to pay Chelsea £28million at the end of his loan, with a further £7m due in potential add-ons. But while he has effectively left Chelsea for Howe’s side, the rules forbid him from playing against them.
Premier League rules mean that Hall is ineligible for the game, even though he was on the bench for the Carabao Cup quarter-final match between the two sides at Stamford Bridge in December. Back then, Newcastle had to get written consent from Chelsea, who were allowed to green-light it by EFL rules.
His absence is unlikely to come as much of a blow to Howe, who has left Hall on the bench for the last six Premier League games. Only four of Hall’s 11 appearances this season have been starts and he hasn’t featured at all since a brief cameo in the 3-2 defeat by Manchester City on January 13.
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Nevertheless, Newcastle are confident he will come good and are happy to fork out a possible £35m for his services. Asked on Friday if Hall signing permanently was 'nailed on' this summer, Howe said: "Yeah, I think so. That's why I'm preparing for him to be here long term and I'm delighted with that because he has many qualities that we're looking for. In terms of my thinking, I’m preparing for Lewis to be at Newcastle for many years. He was always brought in with a long-term view, not a short-term signing. He is a long-term signing.
Lewis Hall will join Newcastle permanently from Chelsea in the summer (Getty Images)"We have always believed in him and his quality and we have been working really hard with him on his game. He’s a really talented lad. He’s got a couple of things to continue working on as all the players have. I believe in him. My vision for him is he will be at Newcastle for many years."
Newcastle go into the game in 10th place in the Premier League, four points better off than Chelsea, who do have a game in hand. Victory for the Magpies would see them jump past West Ham, Brighton and Wolves into seventh place.
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