Manchester United supporters have made their preference clear for the club's next transfer addition, with Lewis Hall emerging as the overwhelming favourite in a recent poll. Over 57 per cent of voters in a combined Express Sport and United WhatsApp community survey selected the Newcastle left-back as the player United should bring through the Old Trafford door next.
The poll was conducted after United moved to address their midfield concerns. Having already spent big on Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos, the Red Devils are on the verge of signing Carlos Baleba from Brighton, with the intention of having the midfielder sit in front of the back four and offer protection.
Poor start to the season
The need for reinforcements follows a difficult opening to the Premier League campaign. Manchester United were humbled 2-0 by newly-promoted Hull City on the opening day, a result that served as a reality check for manager Michael Carrick. United's midfielders were frequently bullied off the ball, while the defenders were not up for the fight either.
The Baleba deal is expected to reduce the extent to which the defence is exposed, as it was against Hull. However, United are not said to be done there, with talk picking up surrounding more additions before the transfer window shuts next week.
Hall the top target
Hall has been linked with a switch to United all summer, but Newcastle have made it abundantly clear he will not be available on the cheap. The Magpies have endured a summer to forget, with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon having left St. James' Park.
As such, United will have to make Hall the most expensive left-back of all time to secure his signature. Elsewhere, the next biggest hitter in the poll was Victor Osimhen, who commanded 23 per cent of the vote. The striker has been linked with a move away from Galatasaray, with United said to be contemplating further attacking additions despite spending the best part of £300million on attackers last summer, including Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.
Other contenders
Myles Lewis-Skelly, who has emerged as an alternative to Hall, received 11 per cent of the vote, while the likes of David Raum, Antonee Robinson, Jorge Salinas and Ivan Toney made up the rest of the votes.
