Chelsea look to have uncovered another wonderkid from their academy, as Lewis Hall's market value continues to soar at Stamford Bridge.
Hall would make his debut under Thomas Tuchel last season and has made another seven senior appearances for the Blues so far this campaign, with the 18-year-old no doubt viewed as a long-term option in Graham Potter's squad.
The versatile left-back, who can also play in midfield, has also shone in the Premier League 2 so far this campaign and looks more than ready for the step-up to men's football, as he boasts three goals and four assists in just 15 appearances so far this term.
Hall was tipped for big things as soon as he made his Chelsea debut in the 5-1 win over Chesterfield in January last year, with teammate Callum Hudson-Odoi dubbing him "amazing" following the game.
The Englishman's emergence as a first-team prospect at Stamford Bridge was recognised by Goal in their yearly NXGN top 50, which emphasises his growing reputation in European football, and certainly suggests that he is a talent that Chelsea need to nurture, rather than letting him join the long list of failed wonderkids.
Goal suggested in that report that the 18-year-old is most comfortable in midfield, which suggests that his long-term future at Chelsea could lie there, but it is his positional versatility – as he can play wing-back too – which could see him established as a top talent at Stamford Bridge.
How much is Lewis Hall worth?
Unsurprisingly, Hall's fairly regular appearances under Potter this season have seen his transfer value shoot up, as FootballTransfers suggested that he was valued at just €1m (£880k) back in April 2022, but they now value him at €8.2m (£7.2m), which represents an incredible 718% increase in less than a year.
After making just his second appearance as a Chelsea player in their 2-0 defeat against Manchester City earlier in the season, the teenager earned a lot of praise from Potter for his performance.
He said:
“I really enjoyed his performance. He took responsibility, took the ball in tight areas, attacked the box, and could’ve scored a couple of goals on another day.
“So it was a really nice performance, a mature performance, I thought. He is a quiet lad but goes about his work. I’ve been really impressed with him.”
Although Chelsea have spent big money on both left-backs and central midfielders in recent years, with Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernandez two recent examples, Hall is a homegrown talent that looks to have both the ability and attitude required to make it at the top.
If he can continue to impress Potter at Stamford Bridge, his market value and reputation will only continue to grow further.