The Newcastle youngster who can prove that his transfer strategy works

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At a time when there is something of an ongoing debate at St James’ Park over Newcastle United’s transfer policy, it felt like a good time for Lewis Hall to deliver his best performance in black and white.

Hall’s progress knows no bounds if he can combine his obvious talents with the kind of consistency and discipline that Eddie Howe sees as non-negotiable.

The lack of decent English left-backs means he can claim a starting place in England if he can progress at the pace that Newcastle thought was a guarantee when they agreed to take him from Chelsea for the thick end 15 months ago of £30 million.

This was not always apparent in the meantime. A deal pushed by Howe and expedited by now-deceased partners Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodousi was the subject of internal torment. At least one person involved in recruitment outside Newcastle believes Paul Mitchell may have been referring to the price paid for Hall when he expressed reservations about the club’s existing transfer strategy.

The defender certainly had to work hard to secure a place in the team. First Dan Burn, who is now doing a good job in central defense alongside Fabian Schar, and then Lloyd Kelly kept him out of the side.

Even when Newcastle were suffering to their core due to injury problems last season, it was strange that he struggled to get in. “A work in progress,” a source said I a year ago.

But in recent months something seemed to have clicked for Hall and against Manchester City, where he excelled in terms of concentration, spatial awareness and consistency in decision-making. This must now be the standard he aims for for the rest of the season.

It definitely makes sense to do what Newcastle thought they would do with Hall and buy English before they really get big. The club’s interest in Chelsea’s promising defender Josh Acheampong and Southampton’s veteran midfielder Tyler Dibling also suggests they are ready to strike again after their position in the Profitability and Sustainability (PSR) rules loosened significantly.

But Mitchell, who sees more value in the excessive fees in the transfer market, is not the only one who thinks there needs to be a balance. Sometimes it hurts the player himself to be used as a development prospect when what really matters is winning games.

Summer signing William Osula was never expected to get many minutes in the Premier League this season, but it’s not looking great that the striker can’t progress despite injuries to Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson. Patience is easier said than done, especially when a team is going through a difficult period like Newcastle.

But Hall may be proof that such policies work. He has a long-term contract and on Saturday, when the team play with the energy that Anthony Gordon embodied with his exuberant attacking performance, you can see where all the pieces of Newcastle’s PSR-busting plan fit together.

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Hall wasn’t the only one who looked much better on Saturday. They still have plenty of room for improvement, but this was much more like the Newcastle we expected under Howe. Gordon – who is set to sign a new five-year deal this week, fending off interest from Liverpool – grabbed the headlines with his penalty equaliser, but his squad’s energy and organization reflected a week of hard work on the training ground.

It also coincided with seven days in which internal debates were not high on the agenda. If Newcastle can perform on the pitch, it will create a little more room for the changes to come off the pitch.

And while Mitchell struggles with the club’s overall transfer direction, Hall’s excellent performance was certainly something to think about.

This is an excerpt from The Score. Sign up here to receive the newsletter with our verdict on all 20 Premier League clubs every Monday morning this season