Newcastle United have reportedly ruled out any possibility of selling Lewis Hall this summer, delivering a significant setback to Manchester United's pursuit of the highly-rated left-back. According to The i Paper, the Magpies' hierarchy are 'adamant' that Hall is not for sale and will show 'no flexibility' on their stance, despite the departures of Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali in the current transfer window.
Hall's rise at St James' Park
Hall, 21, joined Newcastle from Chelsea in 2024 following an initial loan move, seeking regular first-team football. Since then, he has established himself as one of the Premier League's most sought-after left-backs, with his versatility also allowing him to operate in midfield. Over three seasons in the north east, Hall has been instrumental, playing a key role in the Magpies' historic Carabao Cup triumph last year.
His consistent performances continued last season, yet he surprisingly missed out on a place in Thomas Tuchel's 26-man squad for England's World Cup campaign. Despite this, Hall has remained firmly on the radar of the Premier League's elite clubs, with Manchester United known to have been tracking his progress for some time.
United's interest and Hall's stance
Recent reports indicated that Hall would be 'keen' on a move to Old Trafford to play under Michael Carrick. The departure of Eddie Howe, who shares an agent with the defender, only intensified speculation. However, Newcastle view Hall as an 'untouchable' squad member, given his age and contract situation, and consider him an integral figure under incoming head coach Matthias Jaissle.
Hall's current contract with the Toon is not due to expire until June 2029, further complicating any potential transfer. With Newcastle holding firm, Manchester United may now be forced to explore alternative options at left-back.
Alternative targets emerge
The Red Devils have identified Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly and Racing Santander's Jorge Salinas as potential alternatives. Reports from Spain this week suggest that United have made Salinas, 19, their 'plan B' should their pursuit of Hall fail. United bosses are said to be 'very serious' about Salinas, having watched his impressive performances at this year's Under-19 European Championship.
Salinas has a €16m (£13.7m) release clause at Racing Santander and is also being monitored by La Liga champions Barcelona. Despite his youth, United are confident Salinas could immediately join Carrick's senior squad to help ease the workload on Luke Shaw.
United's transfer activity so far
Manchester United have already strengthened their central midfield with the additions of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans from Chelsea and Aston Villa respectively last month. Free agent Karl Darlow remains the only other new face at Old Trafford with less than a month to go until the transfer deadline.
With the transfer window closing soon, United's pursuit of a new left-back remains a priority, but Newcastle's firm stance on Hall has forced them to look elsewhere. The coming weeks will reveal whether they can secure a deal for Salinas or another target to bolster their defensive options.
