Lewis Hall: Man United set sights on Newcastle star as transfer 'priority' revealed

Lewis Hall has emerged as a transfer target for Manchester United as Newcastle United brace for offers in the summer transfer window.

The 21-year-old has enjoyed an "outstanding" season at St James' Park, but their eventual 12th-placed finish has inspired interest from clubs looking to tempt him away.

Michael Carrick's side are believed to be among them, having been keeping tabs on his performances in the Premier League throughout the last season.

However, former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that United will only sign Hall if his price tag drops, with Newcastle demanding a "huge" fee.

This comes as the addition of a new left-back is not seen as a priority for Carrick, who will first aim to bolster his midfield options before assessing other key positions.

Could Man United make a move to sign Lewis Hall?

Brown told Football Insider in April that Newcastle will demand a "huge" fee for Hall, with reports elsewhere suggesting £80million could be enough to do a deal.

That fee is likely to price United out of a move, while they remain happy with Luke Shaw and their other defensive options as things stand.

Unless Newcastle's asking price drops, which is unlikely given their hope of keeping the England international at St James' Park, a move to Man United is currently off.

"Lewis Hall is a top player and he's definitely on Man United's radar," Brown told Football Insider.

"He's had an outstanding season for Newcastle and has been extremely reliable for them when he's been available, he was unlucky not to be included in the England squad.

"So any club interested in a left-back would be silly not to be looking at him, but from what I've heard, that's not a priority for United at the moment.

"They're content with what they've got at the moment, with Luke Shaw and Patrick Dorgu, and there are other positions which they want to address first.

"A new midfielder, for example, is going to be higher up on the list than Lewis Hall, especially when you consider how much money Newcastle are going to want for him.

"It's going to be a big fee, and unless that fee drops, I can't see Man United paying it because I can't see how they're going to be in a position to afford that sort of money."

Can Man United afford to sign Hall?

While doubts linger about whether Man United will make a move for Hall, questions have been asked about whether they would be able to meet his asking price.

Despite priorititising other positions, there are doubts about how much the Red Devils will be able to spend unless they can cash in on fringe players.

Former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson told Football Insider that Marcus Rashford could be key to United's spending as they remain in talks to cash in on him.

A fee of £25-30million would allow United more room to spend, but while his move stalls, they may be unable to make big moves due to a lack of finances.

United are also attempting to trim their wage bill, and the addition with a player like Hall would only add to a rising bill, causing further issues behind the scenes.