Manchester United may need to pay a record-breaking fee to sign Hall! A major figure reportedly wants to purchase a left-back from continental Europe, with two candidates emerging.

Manchester United's summer transfer targets could include a left-back. Luke Shaw started all 38 Premier League matches last season, but that was achieved while competing on a single front. With Champions League football next season, the 30-year-old English left-back may struggle to maintain a similar attendance rate. Therefore, after Tyrell Malacia left upon the expiration of his contract, United are considering signing a left-back to rotate with Luke Shaw. Moreover, the left-back position is considered a priority area for recruitment this summer, second only to midfield.

Newcastle United's Lewis Hall is viewed as the top target, but his price tag is extremely high, potentially requiring £60 million to £80 million. After selling Anthony Gordon, the Magpies are not inclined to part with other key players easily; any purchase will demand a hefty fee, whether for Hall or Sandro Tonali.

If the 21-year-old Hall himself strongly pushes for a move, Newcastle would consider selling, but a price exceeding £50 million is inevitable. They may even demand a record fee for a full-back, which would mean at least £70 million.

The most expensive full-back in football history is Lucas Hernández, whom Bayern Munich signed from Atlético Madrid in 2019. Capable of playing both left-back and center-back, his transfer fee reached €80 million (£68 million).

In the Premier League, the most expensive left-back is Chelsea's Marc Cucurella, who cost £62 million when he joined from Brighton. The most expensive right-back is Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi, whose move from Inter Milan to PSG cost €68 million.

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According to British media, Manchester United have two other left-back candidates, both of whom play outside the Premier League: Eintracht Frankfurt's Nathaniel Brown and Barcelona's Alejandro Balde.

Reports indicate that Manchester United's transfer director Christopher Vivell and sporting director Jason Wilcox are both big fans of the 22-year-old German left-back Brown, and have already made contact with his agent to negotiate a potential transfer.

However, Bayern Munich are rumored to have already reached a personal agreement with Brown, and Frankfurt have set a high price tag of nearly €60 million to €70 million. Brown boasts impressive running ability, recording 4 goals and 4 assists this season—more than Manchester United's Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot combined (2 goals, 4 assists).

Interestingly, Manchester United's youth academy currently has a player with a very similar name: 17-year-old Nathaniel-Júnior Brown, who plays for United's U18 team. The two Browns are not related. The Red Devils' young Brown was born in Sheffield, England, holds English and Jamaican nationality, and joined the club at age 12. In contrast, Frankfurt's Brown was born in Germany to an American father and a German mother, and has already been selected for the German national team for the upcoming World Cup.

Rumors have also long linked Manchester United with Barcelona's 22-year-old full-back Balde, who has two years remaining on his contract. Reports suggest the La Liga champions would consider a €50 million offer, but Balde himself prefers to stay at the Camp Nou and fight for a starting spot under head coach Hansi Flick.

Manchester United executive Vivell is considered one of the most important figures in the club's transfer operations. He joined in 2024 and oversees data-driven scouting and global talent identification. He not only manages scouts but also plays a key role in determining transfer targets. For example, Vivell was instrumental in signing Benjamin Šeško last summer.

Manchester United are striving to shift from a manager-led transfer model to a data-driven proactive system. Vivell excels in this approach, having first worked as a scout at Red Bull Salzburg in Austria before becoming technical director at RB Leipzig in Germany. He was appointed Chelsea's technical director in 2022 but left due to an unclear role, eventually joining United.

Another left-back linked with Manchester United this week happens to come from Chelsea. Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo reports that both United and Manchester City are monitoring Chelsea's Marc Cucurella. The 27-year-old Spanish international wants to leave Stamford Bridge, and Chelsea would accept an offer between €40 million and €50 million, but the player's first choice is a return to Barcelona. In La Liga, Atlético Madrid are the most interested club in Cucurella. He is expected to decide his future after the World Cup.