Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has waxed lyrical about Magpies talent Lewis Hall ahead of Saturday’s Premier League encounter with Chelsea.
The 19-year-old joined Newcastle in the summer from the Blues on a loan deal with a £28million obligation to buy.
As per the terms of the loan deal, Hall is ineligible to face his parent club when the two clubs lock horns at St James’ Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Newcastle boss has resisted the temptation to throw Hall in at the deep end. As he often does, he has given the player time to acclimatise to the team.
Hall has made five appearances for the Magpies so far, and three of his four starts for Howe’s side have come this month alone.
Howe, speaking to the media – as per BBC Sport – ahead of the Chelsea match, said Hall has been training well and is a player of the highest potential.
“His commitment to his training and all the work he’s done behind-the-scenes has been really good,” said the Newcastle boss.
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“He’s a talented young player for sure. He has a beautiful left foot and he’s got a high level of technical ability.
“There is a real high potential with him. I think there is a few of his areas of his game that need smoothing out and improving but that would be no different to any other young player.
“We really do believe in him.”
Lewis Hall a star in the making for Newcastle
Howe’s penchant for giving players time to settle instead of throwing them in at the deep end has got some great results for Newcastle.
It takes the pressure off the players in the short term, with people sometimes demanding instant results, and gives them a chance to get used to the team’s tactics and their new surroundings, sometimes a new country.
Hall has shown glimpses of quality so far and it’ll be exciting to see how he continues to develop for Newcastle in years to come.
It’s a shame he won’t be able to play against Chelsea, but this was always on the cards. Howe will have to manage without him.
The likelihood is we’ll see either Kieran Trippier or Tino Livramento – both right-backs by trade – start on the right. Both are capable of slotting in on the opposite flank.