Manchester United targets Lewis Hall for left-back position

Manchester United has zeroed in on Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall as the answer to a left-back position that has quietly become one of the most neglected spots in the squad. The club has given internal approval to pursue the 21-year-old England international, setting up what could be one of the more contentious Premier League transfers of the window. Hall, for his part, is reportedly open to the move. That enthusiasm may have something to do with the current atmosphere at St James’ Park, where Eddie Howe’s departure has left Newcastle navigating a period of organizational turbulence. The price tag problem Newcastle isn’t about to make this easy. The club has slapped a valuation of around £60 million on Hall, a number that would represent a significant markup on the deal that brought him to Tyneside permanently. Hall joined Newcastle on July 1, 2024, on a transfer worth up to £35 million that converted from a loan arrangement with Chelsea. His contract runs until June 2029. Newcastle’s internal position, as of now, is to keep Hall. Without either extraordinary financial pressure from United or the player himself forcing the issue, a deal looks difficult to close in the current window...