Manchester United may have been handed an unexpected opportunity in their search for a new left-back this summer.
The Red Devils have already identified Lewis Hall as their dream target for the position but Newcastle United have shown no desire to sell him this summer.
However, an offer around £50 million could tempt them to sanction a sale.
According to journalist Samuel Luckhurst, Hall is seeking a move away from Newcastle after missing out on a place in the World Cup squad for England.
Luckhurst further reveals that Hall “largely blames” manager Eddie Howe for his omission from the squad travelling to the United States.
In the final few weeks of the campaign, Howe surprisingly favoured Dan Burn at left-back and played Hall out of position to offset the absence of injured right-back Tino Livramento.
England manager Thomas Tuchel ultimately called up Nico O’Reilly and Djed Spence to the World Cup squad.
United continue to search for a player capable of sharing responsibilities with Luke Shaw.
The 30-year-old remarkably became one of only five outfield players in the Premier League to start every league match last season.
Given his injury record, that achievement was one of the biggest surprises of the campaign.
United will face a much more demanding fixture schedule as they return to the UEFA Champions League.
Hall looks tailor-made for the demands of modern football.
His arrival would likely be welcomed enthusiastically by supporters from the moment he walks through the doors at Old Trafford.
Despite being only 21 years old, Hall has already accumulated 114 senior appearances for Chelsea and Newcastle.
That level of experience at such a young age is extremely rare.
He is a press-resistant left-back who can invert into midfield and play with relentless intensity.
If INEOS can somehow persuade Newcastle to sell, Hall could solve United’s left-back problem for the next decade.
Stats from Fotmob.com