Newcastle United to unleash 'very exciting' £59m duo as summer transfer clause triggered

Eddie Howe has praised Lewis Hall’s progress at Newcastle United this season as the teenager prepares to make his loan switch from Chelsea permanent this summer.

The 19-year-old rarely featured in the Newcastle side during the first two-thirds of the campaign but has become somewhat of a regular in recent weeks following a number of defensive injuries. Since coming into the side, Hall has put several impressive displays.

After meeting performance-related criteria, Newcastle will trigger a £28million obligation to buy Hall from Chelsea this summer.

“A lot of hard work for Lewis, he has really committed to that,” Howe explained. “It was difficult for him because, coming to a new football club, you want to impress everybody and play immediately.

“But as the manager I have to make what I feel is the right decision for the team, not so much the individual and I have to pick and choose the moments those players start to play. For me, Lewis had to go through a body of work to get to where he is now.

“I'm really pleased with him and he's done really well in the last group of games that he's played.”

After starting just one of Newcastle’s opening 29 Premier League matches this season, Hall has now started five of the last seven in the top flight.

With Hall at left-back and 21-year-old summer signing Tino Livramento on the right, Howe is very excited by the potential of his young full-backs.

“It's very exciting what [Hall] could be in the future because I still think there's a lot of improvement and growth in his game,” Howe added. “He's shown a really high technical level and his delivery against Burnley was really good.

“When you look at Tino [Livramento] on the other side, the age of our two full-backs [against Burnley and Brighton & Hove Albion], that's exciting for what we could be in the future.”

Next up for Newcastle is a trip to face Manchester United at Old Trafford in what is set to be a crucial match in the battle for European qualification. Hall played a key role in Newcastle’s win at Old Trafford earlier in the season as he scored his first professional goal in a 3-0 Carabao Cup victory.