'This is why they pulled the plug...' - Man United had 'big concern' over Lewis Hall deal
Manchester United decided against making a move to sign Lewis Hall this summer amid concerns about problems behind-the-scenes.
Luke Shaw is the first-choice left-back under Michael Carrick, and the club hierarchy believed that bringing in another left-back at this stage would only cause problems.
If both left-backs were available to Man United, one would have to be left out, and over the course of the season it would create unhappiness and issues for the manager.
Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that the club cooled their interest in Hall in the window's closing stages, but will revisit the deal next year.
Hall is viewed as a long-term target by the Old Trafford recruitment team, and while the move was explored this summer, they ultimately decided to delay their pursuit.
Newcastle, meanwhile, were determined to keep their left-back and any deal would have been difficult to pull off after they lose other key players during the window.
Could Man United make a new move for Lewis Hall?
Football Insider revealed on 5 September that Man United remain very much interested in a deal for Hall and are planning to reignite their pursuit next summer.
Other left-backs were also considered during the summer window, with a loan move also discussed, but they are ultimately focusing their efforts on a long-term deal.
Man United are happy with Shaw's presence as the first-choice left-back under Carrick and will delay their transfer plans until next summer to avoid any potentail unrest.
"There was a lot of talk about Man United signing a left-back, but I don't think it was urgent," Brown told Football Insider.
"I understand they have been looking long-term about who they will bring in to replace Shaw, and I can see why Lewis Hall is the outstanding candidate in that respect.
"But when I say long-term, I mean it's something I would expect to see next summer or even beyond that, I'm not convinced it was something they were pushing for this summer.
"I've heard they pulled the plug on that, because if he was at Old Trafford next week, either him or Shaw are going to be disappointed because they're not in the team.
"So then over the course of the season, you end up with at least one unhappy player, and that can become a big concern down the line.
"Ultimately, it would cause more problems than it's worth at this stage, because they're pretty happy going into the season with Shaw still the first choice in that position.
"Newcastle weren't going to be easy to buy from either, because of the other players they'd lost, so the value wasn't really there for Hall, but that could change in a year's time."
How did Newcastle feel about selling Hall?
Newcastle underwent major changes during the summer, with Matthias Jaissle's appointment alongside a number of big-name exits and big-money signings.
The likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali were both allowed to leave, but that only strengthened the club's resolve to keep hold of Hall despite the level of interest.
Brown told Football Insider back in April that it would take a "huge" fee to prise Hall away from Newcastle and a summer move was unlikely to be allowed to take place.
It remains to be seen whether they will be more open to offers next summer, with Man United continuing their pursuit in hopes of landing their long-term target.