United now focused on signing “terrific” PL defender from bitter rivals, he wants Old Trafford move – report

Newcastle United are going to find it hard to hold on to Lewis Hall, as his head has been turned by the prospect of playing under Michael Carrick. Hall was arguably one of the finest left-backs in the Premier League last season. BBC pundit Danny Murphy did not call him a “Terrific player” for nothing; he was that good. Yet, despite performing so well in the final months of the 2025-26 season, he surprisingly did not play much. When he did feature, Newcastle forced him to play out of position at right-back. That situation was speculated to be the main reason Hall failed to make the England World Cup squad, and the 21-year-old is said to have been left frustrated with Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe as a result. Consequently, Hall has been tipped to leave St James’ Park, with The Red Devils heavily linked. Michael Carrick a huge factor in Lewis Hall transfer wish However, with the focus at Old Trafford on midfield reinforcements, those links seem to have cooled. Still, they are unlikely to stay that way for long, not with Hall pushing hard for the move himself. TeamTalk, in their latest coverage of United’s search for a left-back to cover Luke Shaw (who cannot play every game as he did last season), report the following on Hall: “Sources indicate the 21-year-old sees the opportunity to work under Carrick and establish himself at United as hugely attractive. “Hall is understood to be comfortable arriving initially to compete with Luke Shaw before eventually succeeding the England international as the club’s long-term first-choice left-back. “That pathway is viewed as a major selling point. United’s pursuit also reflects a wider change in their squad planning, as sources can explain.” We have been made to believe that INEOS are prioritising players who actively want to join their project. Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes, top targets, did not share that desire and were never pursued. Man United given reasons to act Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, meanwhile, expressed their wish to sign for United, and they duly got their moves. Now, with Hall, another Premier League-proven talent, clearly desperate to join, there is nothing stopping the 20-time English champions from making that move, especially given reports that he is Carrick’s first-choice defensive target this summer. Ultimately, Hall and Shaw could yet form a terrific partnership at left-back, and with his signature, Manchester United would have their left-back position secured for years to come. Featured image Stu Forster via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Daniel Onguko Dan is a writer with The Peoples Person, an avid Manchester United fan whose passion for the Red Devils evolved into writing about them. He was introduced to United back in 2008, and his love for the club has continued to grow ever since. Like every other United fan, he believes the club will soon return to its rightful place and strives to reflect that belief in his writing. While he has also written about other Premier League sides, including Arsenal for Just Arsenal and The Arsenal Analysis Blogspot, Dan lives and breathes Manchester United.