Newcastle United are now preparing to make a £30m offer for Chelsea left-back Lewis Hall, and they could be set to hijack a rival Premier League club's deal, according to journalist Alan Nixon.
What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?
Newcastle want to sign a left-back on loan before the transfer window slams shut, and fresh contact has now been made with Arsenal over a deal for Kieran Tierney, having previously been unwilling to match the Gunners' £30m asking price.
Tierney is not the Magpies' only option who's currently plying his trade in the Premier League, with Chelsea's Marc Cucurella being named as a target, while they have previously been touted as potential suitors for Wolverhampton Wanderers' Hugo Bueno.
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At the start of this month, Eddie Howe's side were said to be monitoring Hall, with journalist Ben Jacobs detailing:
"Lewis Hall might have to leave as well. Hall is on Newcastle’s radar for sure. I’m not aware that they’ve made a bid at the moment, but the feeling in the Chelsea camp is that he will be available, both he and Trevoh Chalobah are on the market, and Newcastle might look at Hall. He’s younger and one for the future."
Since then, Crystal Palace have made progress in their pursuit of the 18-year-old, with it being reported by The Evening Standard that a season-long loan deal had been agreed, but there could now be a late twist…
That is according to journalist Nixon, who has stated that Newcastle are preparing a £30m bid for the youngster, in order to hijack his proposed move to Selhurst Park (via NUFC Blog).
Chelsea have "moved the goalposts" with Palace and could now change their mind about letting him leave on loan, potentially sanctioning a permanent exit, in order to balance the books at Stamford Bridge.
Having had an initial enquiry about the left-back knocked back by Chelsea, the Magpies have now been given hope they could complete a permanent deal this summer.
How good is Lewis Hall?
It is hard to gauge what level the Englishman is currently playing at, given that he has only made a handful of senior appearances for Chelsea, but there are plenty of indications that he could be a fantastic long-term addition to Howe's squad.
Journalist Fentuo Tahiru Fento claimed the starlet looked "more assured than Cucurella" back in November last year, while Nizaar Kinsella praised him for his performance against Manchester City, saying:
"Lewis Hall has just beaten Rico Lewis's press for the second time. Showing both his surging run and passing ability on one of the biggest stages in the country. Skills that he has shown at academy level. He has earned this chance."
It may be a risk for Newcastle to shell out £30m on the young defender, given that Tierney is also set to be available for the same price, and he is vastly more experienced at Premier League level.
However, Hall is clearly blessed with a great deal of potential, having managed to break into the Chelsea team at such a young age, and it is exciting news that the Magpies could now hijack Palace's deal.