Manchester United have been offered Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly but have their eye on another Premier League left-back as their top summer target.
Hall identified as number one target
Lewis Hall is Manchester United's number one target for the left-back position, despite being offered Myles Lewis-Skelly, it has been claimed.
Michael Carrick's side remain on the lookout for a left sided defender before the summer transfer window closes and Hall has been identified as the one United want. Indeed, according to The Sun, United view the 21-year-old Newcastle United star as the long-term successor to Luke Shaw and are determined to land his signature before the September 1 transfer deadline.
But the Magpies have taken steps to play down speculation surrounding Hall's potential departure to United and are desperate to retain one of their prized assets, having already lost Anthony Gordon, Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali to Barcelona, Newcastle and Tottenham this summer.
Hall keen on Old Trafford move
Hall, meanwhile, is understood to be attracted by a switch to Old Trafford and follow a number of his former teammates through the exit door at Newcastle. And his want to quit the Magpies has remained unchanged despite the appointment of new head coach Matthias Jaissle, who took over from Eddie Howe following his surprise exit last month.
United have stepped up their pursuit of Hall, who is under contract until 2029, in recent weeks and are eyeing up him as him their fourth signing of the summer. The Reds have invested more than £80m so far on Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Karl Darlow, and are still targeting a couple more recruits.
But United could face a significant challenge to secure Hall given Newcastle's reported £60m asking price. The Reds have rejected the valuations of Premier League trio Mateus Fernandes, Alex Scott and Elliot Anderson, and are unwilling to overpay for any target, irrespective of their identity.
Lewis-Skelly alternative
Lewis-Skelly represents another possibility for United after he was made available to Carrick's side earlier this week. The 19-year-old excelled in midfield for Arsenal towards the end of last season but is equally adept at left-back.
The Gunners are looking to raise funds following Bruno Guimaraes' £75m arrival and view Lewis-Skelly as a sellable asset. Alongside United, the Hale End graduate has also been offered to Premier League counterparts Chelsea.
Yet Lewis-Skelly is keen on remaining at Arsenal and United would rather pursue Hall in any case, shelving that transfer speculation firmly aside, at least for the time being.
Hall was sent home from Newcastle's pre-season training camp in La Manga, Spain last week after suffering a minor injury. He consequently missed Jaissle's first game away at Valencia.
