‘The player insisted’: £28m man really pushed for his exit from Chelsea this summer

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Lewis Hall really pushed to leave Chelsea for Newcastle this summer before a deal was eventually agreed.

That is according to Fabrizio Romano.

So, what was said about Lewis Hall and Chelsea? Let’s take a look…

What’s the story?

Well, the England Under-21 international completed his £28m move to Newcastle on Tuesday, with the fee potentially rising to £35m due to add-ons.

According to The Athletic, some people at Chelsea have been left saddened by Hall’s departure, with a few under the impression that Marc Cucurella should have been sold instead.

The Telegraph add that Chelsea ideally would have liked to keep the 18-year-old, although Newcastle’s bid was too good to refuse after a summer of heavy spending.

Now, Romano has revealed that Hall himself played a major role in the deal going through.

The reliable Italian journalist told Caught Offside: “Sometimes if you produce many talents you have to make some choices and also… some money, for Financial Fair Play. Also, the player insisted to join Newcastle, so it was the best option for all parties.”

Hall is a huge Newcastle fan – as is his father – so you can understand why he was very keen to join Eddie Howe at St James’ Park.

The Slough-born wonderkid clearly has a lot of respect for Chelsea, as shown in his farewell message on Instagram after 12 years in west London.

Chelsea will miss Lewis Hall

In a miserable 2022/23 campaign, Hall was a rare bright spot for Chelsea, and the Blues will surely miss him.

The teenager offered Mauricio Pochettino an option at left-back and also in central midfield, displaying real quality wherever he played with his directness, electric dribbling skills and rapid pace.

Newcastle have a precocious gem on their hands in Hall, and we believe that his £28m fee will end up looking like a total bargain for the Magpies in no time.