Newcastle table £35 million offer for Chelsea left-back Lewis Hall

Having first been linked with Newcastle United in an exclusive from NUFC Blog way back on the 21st of July, Lewis Hall appears to be moving closer to Tyneside.

The Athletic's transfer guru David Ornstein, the best in the business at what he does, has tonight revealed that the two clubs are in discussions over a £35 million deal.

Ornstein reports that the Magpies have faced resistance in multiple attempts to secure the 18-year-old this summer, especially since Chelsea only recently tied Hall down to a new extended contract:

Newcastle's leadership team is now back at the negotiating table, though, and have tabled another offer. Hall is said to prefer a permanent move to St. James' Park over a loan to Crystal Palace, as he's a boyhood NUFC fan and wants to play in the Champions League under Eddie Howe.

The young left-back shares an agent, Wasserman, with Howe himself, new signings Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento, and Harrison Ashby. He would very much be a signing in the Livramento mould, providing another option at left-back.

What this means for the future of Matt Targett remains to be seen, as Newcastle are said to still be in the market for a central defender this summer, even if the move for Hall is completed. Targett could be "traded" to facilitate any further business.

If you haven't seen much of Hall, here are his best bits from last season: