It’s not common in the world of football to give at the doors, but Newcastle have been surprisingly adamant about any approach from Manchester United.
The dream of Lewis Hall costs blood, sweat and – not least – an unimaginable number of pounds. Newcastle will not sell, and United will have to pay more than any club has ever done for a left-back. Now five alternative names are revealed that could be plan B.
Read: David de Gea with some wise words to his old club Manchester United
Lewis Hall is the dream – but the price is a nightmare
Manchester United have made Lewis Hall their number one target at left-back in the summer transfer window. The 21-year-old from Newcastle has said yes to the club, and he wants to go to Old Trafford. We have previously been able to reveal this.
But one man puts a strong stop to the transfer plans: Newcastle’s new head coach, Matthias Jaissle. He refuses to let Hall go, and the club has made it crystal clear: They will not sell – anyway.
In fact, the attitude is so rock-solid that United have to put on the table an amount never before paid for a left-back, just to get Newcastle to consider sitting down at the negotiating table.
£68 million is the record – Manchester United must go over
The current record for a left-back belongs to Lucas Hernandez, who Bayern Munich bought from Real Madrid in July 2019 for £68 million.
For Newcastle to raise their eyebrows at all, United must exceed that amount. With just over a week left in the transfer window, United are willing to test Newcastle’s willingness to resist – but that bids of around £70 million are unlikely to come from Manchester.
In other words: The distance between dream and reality is great. A formal inquiry could still come in the next few days, but United are now also looking for other solutions – just in case.
Five alternatives: Here’s plan B
Although Hall is still the first choice, United are working behind the scenes with a wide range of other left-backs. Here are five names that may be relevant:
- Jorge Salinas (Racing Santander) – the young Spaniard is still interesting, but Atlético Madrid are also pushing to capture the U19 international.
- Alejandro Balde (Barcelona) – a great talent that United admire, but who is unlikely to come cheap.
- David Raum (RB Leipzig) – the attacking German has impressed in the Bundesliga and is being watched closely.
- Antonee Robinson (Fulham) – American speed and experience from the Premier League.
- Adrien Truffert (Bournemouth) – French left-back who has shown stability at home.
Time is running out
With the transfer window deadline drawing ever closer, the left-back position remains at the top of the wish list of the United management. Hall is the first priority, but the price Newcastle is demanding – a new world record – makes the road there steep.
The question is: Do United dare to bleed for the dream, or will they have to settle for plan B? The answer will come in the next few days.
Manchester United have not had a good start to the season, that after a lackluster pre-season and a number of sticks out on the transfer market. On Saturday, they managed to lose to newcomers Hull City.
Jens Hjertø-Dahl has definitely chosen the right Premier League club!
Tottenham also lost in the Premier League premiere, easy to ask the question! Is it this year that Tottenham will be relegated from the Premier League for the first time?
