Newcastle United could be blocked from signing Chelsea loanee Lewis Hall on a permanent deal.
Hall, 19, arrived at St James' Park during the summer transfer window on a temporary basis as Eddie Howe looked to recruit depth across all positions with Champions League football on the horizon.
The Magpies have since dropped out of all European competitions after finishing bottom of Group F, with Hall making just one appearance across the six games.
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It has been a disjointed start to life at his boyhood club, with the young full-back only donning the famous black and white stripes on six occasions since making the switch from Chelsea.
On each of his three starts for Newcastle, Hall has been withdrawn at half-time, with the player struggling to find his finest form while out on loan.
A raft of injuries have left Newcastle's squad looking threadbare, with David de Gea emerging as a shock goalkeeper target amid a long-term absence for Nick Pope.
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Despite the injury struggles the club have suffered to players like Sven Botman, Matt Targett and Dan Burn, Hall is yet to nail a regular role in Howe's squad, with his future at the club now appearing uncertain.
At the time of completing the initial loan move for the Chelsea man, it was reported that Newcastle had a £28 million obligation to buy Hall at the end of his first season, however doubts over this clause have since emerged.
As reported by the the Daily Mail, Howe is reluctant to confirm whether or not Hall will remain at the club on a permanent basis, after stating certain criteria must be met in order to trigger the purchase option.
Speaking on the lack of involvement for Hall in recent weeks, Howe said: “I think Tino [Livramento] has been excellent at left-back and Kieran has his obvious qualities at right-back so that would be the reason and Lewis, when he comes on, has to perform well.”
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The player did not feature during the recent 2-1 defeat to AC Milan which caused them to drop out of the Champions League, with a home clash against Fulham now approaching.
If Hall is to make the permanent switch to Newcastle this summer, his performances in black and white will likely need to improve.
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Newcastle United, Eddie Howe, Premier League, Transfers, Champions League