Manchester United are already working on a defensive rebuild for next summer, according to a report from The i Paper, with Newcastle United left-back Lewis Hall and Bournemouth’s Adrien Truffert understood to be the main full-back targets. It is a recruitment story rather than a deal, and the paper says it is based on what it has been told, so everything below should be read as reported intent rather than anything agreed.
Why United are looking at the back line again
Pete Hall’s report in The i Paper says there is a recognition, even among senior figures, that the defence should have been addressed in the summer, after United spent their spare funds on midfielders and were left with Luke Shaw as the only recognised left-back. The paper also notes that United are one of only two Premier League sides yet to keep a clean sheet this season, which makes the timing of the story easy to understand.
Lewis Hall and Truffert on the list
On Hall, the paper says United had wanted him in the summer but were put off by Newcastle’s price and reluctance to sell, and that they expect to revisit the move next year. Sources told The i Paper that Lewis Hall was interested in a move to Old Trafford a few months ago and has not changed his stance. Truffert, like Lewis Hall, is described as a long-term target, tipped to leave Bournemouth in the summer, although United are expected to face plenty of competition for the French full-back.
Martinez, Shaw and De Ligt
The same report says Lisandro Martinez was considering leaving at the end of the season even before his row with the club’s hierarchy, with Atletico Madrid and other Spanish clubs said to remain interested, and that United could trigger a one-year extension to his contract before deciding whether to sell. Harry Maguire is more likely to stay, with the club set to trigger his extra year, while Shaw’s hopes of a new deal reportedly depend on accepting a pay cut from his current salary. Matthijs de Ligt’s fitness will also shape the plans, according to the paper, and he was back in the squad for Sunday’s draw at Leeds.
