Lewis Hall has given a classy farewell message to Chelsea fans on his official Instagram page, with his transfer to Newcastle United now all but complete [via Football London].

Hall moved to Newcastle on August 22 on a loan deal, with an obligation to buy. Given the finality of Hall’s message, it seems like he expects to move to Tyneside on a permanent basis.

Despite this, Hall spoke fondly of his long stint at Chelsea – he joined the setup at Stamford Bridge back in 2012 from Binfield, when he was just eight years of age.

He talked about his pride when he adorned the Chelsea kit – in total, he made nine senior Premier League appearances for the Blues.

What did Lewis Hall write on Instagram?

Writing on his official Instagram page, Hall penned: “After 12 amazing years with this club, I just want to say thank you to everyone @chelseafc. Growing up through the academy, I always aspired to play for the first team, and I’m so proud to have been able to do so.

“Every time I put on the shirt, I felt nothing but pride. To the staff and players of both the academy and the first team, thank you for helping me develop into the person I am today.

“And of course the fans, thank you so much for your continued support during my time here. Chelsea will always have a special place in my heart. LH.”

How can Chelsea replace Lewis Hall in squad?

While Lewis Hall was never in first-team contention during his time at Chelsea, he was always on hand to provide a useful rotation option. With injuries piling up for the Blues, their decision to let him go may be costly.

Chelsea’s overloaded squad is slowly becoming infamous – on the other hand, it also means they have plenty of options in certain positions. One of these is left back – Marc Cucurella, Ben Chilwell and Ian Maatsen are all natural fits in the role.

As such, Hall will likely not need replacing – nevertheless, it is always a gut punch to see one of your team’s brightest prospects move to another club (especially to one in the same division).