Manchester United have received a significant transfer blow in their pursuit of Lewis Hall.
It has been widely reported that Man United have a strong interest in signing Hall from Newcastle United.
However, respected journalist David Ornstein has now poured cold water on those rumours.
He said (via The Athletic podcast): “I do not expect Lewis Hall to be coming to Man United.
“Following the departure of Eddie Howe, Newcastle will be more determined to keep him, maybe even tie him down to a new contract.”
United remain determined to recruit a high-quality left-back capable of sharing the workload with Luke Shaw following their return to the UEFA Champions League.
Hall has emerged as the ideal long-term target because of the remarkable quality and maturity he already possesses at just 21.
He is a modern full-back with the ability to attack and play progressive passes, while his strong physical profile also makes him highly effective defensively.
He has already accumulated more than 100 appearances for Newcastle despite still being at the very beginning of his career.
Newcastle have no intention of losing another key player after already sanctioning the high-profile departures of Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon.
Club captain Bruno Guimaraes also appears increasingly close to completing a blockbuster move to Arsenal.
Hall was reportedly frustrated by the way Eddie Howe utilised him during the closing weeks of last season.
With Howe now gone, Newcastle are hoping a fresh managerial direction will persuade the young defender to commit his long-term future to the club.
If INEOS genuinely believe Hall is the answer to United’s left-back problem, they may have to produce an extraordinary offer to tempt Newcastle into changing their stance.
Stats from Fotmob.com