You may not know who Lewis Hall is, but Chelsea are already asking $33 million to sell him to his favourite club

Chelsea decided to make their 18-year-old defender Lewis Hall available for transfer, with an asking price of approximately $33 million. Although the Blues didn't plan to sell their academy graduate, they slapped a hefty price tag on Hall as soon as they found out Newcastle United were interested.

Chelsea's substantial expenditure on transfer fees during the past three transfer windows has prompted a need to generate sales. Since Todd Boehly arrived in West London, they spent over $980 million on new players, breaking the British transfer record twice in just eight months.

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With so much money being spent in the market, one of the ways of complying with Financial Fair Play regulations is to sell players who graduated and balance their finances. The academy players offer direct profit under the Premier League's rules, to which the club must adhere.

Despite only recently signing a new contract that runs until 2030, Hall might be out the door much sooner than that. The teenage talent was initially intended to be loaned out, with Crystal Palace showing considerable interest. If a suitable loan fee isn't secured, he will be used to balance the club's finances.

Initially starting his senior career as a left-back, the left-footed youngster can also operate in midfield, where he is expected to fully establish himself as his career progresses. His junior football experience has also seen him play as a midfielder.

In addition to his dynamic surges forward and exceptional crossing ability, he has also received recognition for his versatility. Chelsea have several options at left-back, with Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella and Ian Maatsen all poised to feature more under Mauricio Pochettino. Nevertheless, Hall is regarded as one of the most captivating prospects within the club and a potential future star.

Ironically, Hall's senior debut came last November against Newcastle, the club he supported since childhood and the club keen to bring him to the northeast of England. Last season, Hall featured in 12 first-team matches and was honoured as the Chelsea Academy Player of the Year for 2023. He is set to join the upcoming cycle of England Under-21s, having already made his debut at that level prior to the successful European Championships earlier this year. Among Chelsea fans, Hall is well-regarded for his potential and dedication, which enabled him to raise his profile significantly during the challenging 2022/23 campaign that saw the club finish in 12th place.

Chelsea become accustomed to offloading academy players in recent times, with this window alone witnessing the departures of Mason Mount, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Ethan Ampadu.

While Mount's departure has attracted the most attention, the club is also likely to entertain offers for Conor Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobah, both of whom have become full-fledged first-teamers. Callum Hudson-Odoi, who has been on the fringes at Stamford Bridge for a significant period, is also expected to leave by the end of August.