Manchester United are still very interested in Lewis Hall, with the Newcastle United defender reportedly remaining near the top of their shortlist as Michael Carrick plans the next stage of his squad rebuild.
United considered strengthening at left-back during the summer but ultimately focused more heavily on midfield.
That does not mean the position has been forgotten. With Luke Shaw now into the latter stages of his career, the club are already looking at younger long-term options.
Hall, at 22, looks like one of the most obvious fits.
Lewis Hall remains high on Man United wishlist
Speaking on the Sky Sports Transfer Talk Podcast, reporter Danyal Khan said United remain focused on strengthening at left-back, particularly with an eye on next summer.
Khan said: “I think they are focussed on next summer, Lewis Hall is still very much top [of the list]. I wouldn’t discount Myles Lewis-Skelly, even before the summer, he was someone they really like.”
Rayan Ait-Nouri is another player being monitored, while Lewis-Skelly has been admired at Old Trafford for some time.
United also looked closely at Hall during the previous window, but Newcastle had no appetite to sell and the player was viewed as an important part of their plans.
Howe’s praise shows exactly why United are so interested
Hall’s appeal goes beyond his age. When Newcastle made his move from Chelsea permanent, former manager Eddie Howe praised both his ability and mentality.
Howe said: “As well as being a talented player, he has a great attitude towards the game and to his own development.” His comments were published in Newcastle United’s official announcement.
That profile makes plenty of sense for United.
Hall is technically comfortable, can progress the ball from deep and has already gained significant Premier League experience. More importantly, at 22, he could potentially solve the position for years rather than acting as a short-term fix.
The difficulty will be convincing Newcastle to sell.
Hall is under a long-term contract and there is little pressure on Newcastle to cash in. United may therefore need to make a very serious offer if they want to turn long-standing admiration into an actual transfer.
Still, if left-back remains a priority next summer, Hall looks like the name United are most likely to keep coming back to.
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