Marcus Rashford could 'block' Man United from completing Lewis Hall deal
Manchester United could very possibly sign Lewis Hall from Newcastle United, but a deal will be far from simple at Old Trafford.
That is according to former Manchester City financial adviser Stefan Borson, who exclusively told Football Insider that the Magpies will be in no mood to sell for anything less than £70million.
It has emerged recently that Eddie Howe's side have slapped an eye-watering price tag on their star full-back amid rumours that he's considering his future at St James' Park.
Despite teammate Tino Livramento being chosen, Hall was left out of Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the 2026 World Cup, sparking huge questions over a potential move away.
Man United to overcome 'Marcus Rashford situation' before signings new stars
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson suggested that selling Marcus Rashford, and other United players, will be key to affording deals for Newcastle's No.3.
"It depends on what other spending they've got planned and what they've got to sell. And the problem that United have at the moment is the Rashford situation," Borson said.
"What is the budget? Where's the cash coming from? Who can they sell? If it's Rashford, can they get the £25million-£30million that they want?
"That's all profit because he's a youth player, although there will be some amortization over the years on his agent fees. But clearly, that helps. Have they got anybody else to sell? Profitably, probably not.
"Their wage bill is not sustainable at this £280million-level that it is currently, but they'll have to spend more because of Champions League football.
"£70million on Lewis Hall feels like it would be too much, but clearly, he's a very good player, and a player that they can get five to seven years out of easily.
"I don't think it's completely unlikely. If it was a £50million fee, why would Newcastle sell for that?
"Now they're going to have to start rebuilding back up with more signings and more players to to bolster the squad, and Lewis Hall is a perfect example of that kind of player."
How close is Michael Carrick to his first signing of the summer?
While Borson makes a good point about flushing the fringe players out and starting afresh, it is understood that the Red Devils' first signing might be right around the corner.
Several outlets have reported that Man United have agreed a deal for Atalanta's Ederson, who the club have been tracking for multiple seasons.
The deal is expected to be completed before July rolls around, and that raises further questions over the future of Manuel Ugarte.
With Casemiro bringing an end to his time at the Theatre of Dreams, the Uruguayan would have loved to fight for his spot, but it seems far more likely that he's sold alongside Rashford.