Former Newcastle United goalkeeper Tim Krul believes Lewis Hall's contract extension is a "big statement" and the latest sign of progress at St James' Park, following a summer that threatened to derail the club's long-term plans.
The Magpies lost key first-team players in Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon, as well as head coach Eddie Howe, but Matthias Jaissle has steadied the ship while overseeing the arrival of exciting young talent.
Positive start under Jaissle
Newcastle have lost just one of their first seven games this season. Krul, speaking to Flashscore, said there is plenty to like in the early stages, while acknowledging the difficulty of following Howe.
"There's a lot of respect that has to go to Eddie Howe, because he brought the trophy to Newcastle that everybody had been waiting for all those years," Krul said. "I rate Eddie Howe very highly, so it's a hard act to follow. But Jaissle has started really well. I like his press conferences and the way he conducts himself. I feel like the team is responding really well to him."
Hall deal and new goalkeeper
Krul praised the extension of Lewis Hall's contract, describing the defender as one of the most exciting talents in the team. He also noted positive news around new training grounds and potential new stands or a stadium.
On new goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek, who replaced Nick Pope as first-choice, Krul said: "A young, exciting talent. Nick Pope was already a really good goalkeeper, but Hornicek is a totally different style of keeper. He's a lot more all-round, with his distribution, as a sweeper-keeper. He looks really agile. Newcastle spent a lot of money on him, so they clearly see a big future for him."
