Chelsea have faced criticism after selling Lewis Hall to Newcastle United for £28 million, with former manager Harry Redknapp labelling the left-back as 'one of the best in world football'. Hall, a product of Chelsea's academy, joined the club at age eight and made his first-team debut before moving to Newcastle in 2023, initially on loan with an obligation to buy.
Redknapp told BetVictor: 'Lewis Hall is currently one of the best left-backs in world football. What a week he’s had! He kept Lamine Yamal very quiet and then cruised it back at Stamford Bridge. Right now, the left-back spot for England looks like it will be his to lose.'
Former Chelsea player Joe Cole also criticised the club's ownership under Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly, citing a lack of long-term planning. On The Dressing Room podcast, Cole said: 'The fans are not happy. The first alarm bell is the number of managers sacked. That tells me it isn’t long-term thinking.'
Cole highlighted mixed results from Chelsea's transfer strategy, noting successes like Cole Palmer but also pointing to departures such as Hall, Tino Livramento, and Marc Guehi, who are now in England contention. He added: 'Conor Gallagher was sold just to balance the books. How long do you go down the road with this long-term plan before you adjust?'
