Chelsea are set to come up against his new club this weekend. (Picture: Getty)
Mauricio Pochettino explained Chelsea’s decision to let Lewis Hall leave the club in the summer, as the Blues get set to come up against his new side Newcastle United.
Hall was a mainstay in the Chelsea academy for nine years, eventually progressing to make his first-team debut for the club in November 2022.
The full-back was named Chelsea Academy’s Player of the Year at the end of last season but was surprise departure over the summer when he left to join Eddie Howe’s side on loan, with a £28million obligation to buy.
As the deal is initially a loan, Hall will be ineligible to play against his former club this weekend, with Pochettino shedding some light on the decision to let Hall leave the club as he prepares his side for the trip up north.
‘He was a player with the condition to play here but, at the same time, we had too many players in that position ahead of him,’ the Chelsea boss explained at his pre-match press conference.
‘I think the player and club took the best decision from both sides. That’s what happened this summer.
Lewis Hall broke into Chelsea’s first team last season (Picture: Getty)
‘He cannot play but he has a good future and I hope he settles well there and play as much as he wants.’
Mauricio Pochettino’s side sit four points behind the Magpies and a further six off the top four, but could extend their unbeaten streak to three league games after impressive performances against Tottenham and Manchester City before the international break.
Newcastle, meanwhile, will be looking to return to winning ways after back-to-back defeats against Dortmund and Bournemouth.
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Pochettino revealed that Levi Colwill will be in his side’s squad for Saturday’s fixture, but the Blues are still without summer signings Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia.
Wesley Fofana remains out with a serious knee injury and is not close to a return yet, but has been out on the grass of the training pitch this week.
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