‘It was the perfect time’ – Lewis Hall explains Newcastle move after leaving Chelsea

Lewis Hall has opened up on his decision to leave Chelsea for Newcastle United, admitting the timing and direction of both clubs made the move the right one for his career.

The 21-year-old progressed through Chelsea’s academy from under-8s level before joining Newcastle on an initial loan deal in the summer of 2023. That move was later made permanent for an initial £28m, a decision Hall now believes has paid off.

Hall made his senior debut for Chelsea in an FA Cup tie against Chesterfield in January 2022, before going on to make his Premier League debut later that year — ironically away at Newcastle United.

Ten months later, the Slough-born left-back arrived on Tyneside, initially on loan, as Newcastle sought to add young, homegrown talent to their squad.

Reflecting on his decision in Newcastle’s matchday programme, Hall was candid about why he felt it was time to move on.

“The club was unbelievable for me, but I think I left at the perfect time,” Hall said.
“The direction that this club wants to go in, how everything was unfolding at Chelsea at the time — it was the right time for me to come here.

“The way Chelsea wanted to go forward with lots and lots of young talent, it was best for my career that I made this move and I think it has panned out really well for me.”

Hall also highlighted personal reasons, but stressed footballing factors were decisive.

“Obviously having family connections to Newcastle was a really big factor,” he added.
“But everything footballing-wise had to be right as well. I really believed in it at the time and I think it’s worked out perfectly.”

Despite leaving Stamford Bridge, Hall remains grateful for the role Chelsea played in his development.

“I’ve achieved a lot of things which I don’t think I would have been able to achieve if I stayed there,” he said. “But Chelsea played a massive part in helping me become the player who got the move in the first place, and I’m always grateful for that.”

Hall’s first months at Newcastle were not straightforward. He featured sparingly during the opening half of his loan spell, leading to questions over whether he would meet the appearance criteria required to make the move permanent.

That uncertainty is now firmly in the past.

“It took me a while to settle in and be myself — it was my first proper big move,” Hall admitted. “It was a lot different to what I expected.

“Defensively, there were things I had to improve. I spent a few months with the coaches working on that, getting better in training, and then I had to wait for my opportunities.”

Those chances came towards the end of the 2023/24 season — and Hall hasn’t looked back since.

“I had a small run of games together which gave me that confidence to go into the next season and have a good season,” he added.

Now an established part of Newcastle’s plans, Hall’s journey underlines the value of patience and timing — and why leaving Chelsea proved a defining moment in his career.

With his place in the Newcastle squad now secure, Hall will be focused on building consistency and continuing his development at Premier League level.

For the young full-back, the next challenge is turning promise into long-term impact — but his reflections suggest he feels firmly at home on Tyneside.

Was leaving Chelsea the best career decision Lewis Hall could have made?