Manchester United's decision not to push hard for Lewis Hall in the summer could backfire, as the left-back's value continues to climb. Hall was United's top target for the position, but the club concluded their budget would only stretch so far and prioritised three new midfielders instead.
Summer caution and missed opportunity
The debt-laden club found they could not compete with their big six rivals, which led to a cautious approach both to spending and to how they handled deals. United liked Hall throughout the summer, and an aggressive early move for the 22-year-old could have secured a deal.
At that point, Hall was frustrated by a disappointing end to the season at Newcastle and saw his World Cup dreams fade. He was interested in a move to Old Trafford, and an early approach might have drawn a more positive response. Instead, United waited, and by the time Newcastle had sold Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, there was no chance of Hall following them out.
Current struggles at United
United ended the window without a left-back signing. Luke Shaw has already missed three of the first seven games through injury, and both Patrick Dorgu and Noussair Mazraoui have struggled in that position in his absence.
Hall remains United's top target, and the club will sign at least one left-back next summer. However, the former Chelsea youngster's valuation is rocketing, which alone could end any hope of a deal. United plan to refresh their defence in 2027, but will again need to stretch their budget across three or four signings.
Hall's rapid rise
In the last four months, Hall has gone from a disgruntled Newcastle player well down England's left-back pecking order to signing a new deal at St James' Park, playing every minute under new boss Matthias Jaissle, and emerging from the international window as first-choice for his country.
He was on the bench against Spain, with Nico O'Reilly at left-back, but the Manchester City man's injury opened the door and Hall took it. He was good against the Czech Republic on Tuesday and outstanding in a 7-0 win over Croatia in Rijeka on Saturday, contributing with excellent possession play, solid defending, and great energy in attack.
The silver lining for United is that Newcastle's displays are not matching Hall's. If they fall short of Europe this season, there is surely a chance he will move next summer anyway, despite a new long-term contract. The bad news is that his price tag is rising, and there could be much more interest in a promising young English defender next summer.
