Manchester United appear to be shifting their defensive transfer plans after concluding that a move for Newcastle United and England full-back Lewis Hall is unlikely to materialise. Reports indicate United held interest in Hall for much of the summer but never submitted an official bid, largely because the Magpies made clear he was not for sale. Adding to the difficulty for United, Newcastle are reportedly preparing to offer Hall a two-year contract extension as part of an effort by manager Matthias Jaissle to secure his long-term future at St James' Park.
With the Hall pursuit effectively closed off, attention inside Old Trafford has reportedly turned to one of his Newcastle teammates, centre-back Malick Thiaw, as a possible alternative target. The 25-year-old German only arrived at Newcastle from AC Milan last summer but made an immediate impact, delivering an impressive debut season on Tyneside. Versatile enough to operate at both centre-back and right-back, Thiaw has continued to grow in stature at the club and has already captained the side in the early stages of this campaign while regular skipper Dan Burn has been sidelined through injury.
Whether Newcastle would be willing to part with Thiaw remains uncertain. He is still only in the second year of a long-term deal and has quickly established himself as an important figure in the squad, both on the pitch and in the dressing room given his recent captaincy duties. According to reports from Caught Offside, Newcastle could set a asking price in the region of £70 million should they be persuaded to entertain offers for the defender. Liverpool have also been credited with interest in the player, which could complicate any potential move for United and drive the valuation even higher amid competition for his signature.
Despite the challenges, United are said to be actively building a broader list of defensive targets as they look toward strengthening their backline. There is a general expectation within the club that a new left-back will be pursued either in the upcoming January transfer window or ahead of next season, as manager provides increasing emphasis on reinforcing that area of the squad. Thiaw's ability to play on the right side of defence, as well as centrally, could offer added flexibility should United decide to pursue a deal, even though he is not a like-for-like alternative to Hall in terms of natural position.
United's business in the defensive market is not expected to stop with Thiaw, however. Reports from Germany suggest the club are also monitoring Daniel Svensson, the Borussia Dortmund full-back, as another option as they continue to survey the market for potential recruits. The interest in Svensson suggests United are keeping their options open rather than committing to a single target, particularly given the uncertainty surrounding Newcastle's willingness to sell either Hall or Thiaw.
For now, United's recruitment team appears to be in an information-gathering phase, assessing which deals might be realistically achievable either in the winter window or next summer. With Newcastle unlikely to budge easily on their prized defensive assets, and with Liverpool also circling for Thiaw, United may face a difficult and costly negotiation if they choose to formally pursue a move. The coming months should provide clearer indications of how seriously United are willing to invest in reshaping their backline, and whether Thiaw or Svensson ultimately emerges as their primary target.
Based on reporting from Standard Football.