Manchester United are still trying to add a left-back before the window closes at 11pm on Tuesday, and Ferdi Kadioglu has moved into the frame as the Brighton option if Lewis Hall cannot be got over the line. Luke Shaw has made only 2 Premier League appearances in 2026, which is why the conversation has moved from nice-to-have to urgent.
United's left-back search
Hall remains the top target for the role. But the timing is tight enough that Manchester United are also sounding out alternatives, and Kadioglu fits the profile of a player Brighton could plausibly sell after a £25m move from Fenerbahce two years ago.
The pressure on the position is not hard to miss. Shaw cannot be asked to play three games in a week at high intensity, and with United back in the Champions League, the squad need around him becomes a practical issue rather than a theoretical one.
United ended the 2025 league season strongly, winning four of their final five. Brighton, by contrast, finished eighth and still look like a club United can approach for a depth signing late in the window.
Why Kadioglu is in the picture
Kadioglu is not being viewed as the first choice, and that part matters. He is the fallback if Hall proves unattainable, not a straight line to the same outcome.
There is also a football reason he keeps coming up. He started at left-back for Brighton in their 4-3 defeat to Chelsea this past weekend, after missing the opening game of the season with a knock. He has only 1 Premier League appearance in 2026, so the case for him is built on cover, versatility and availability more than current rhythm.
That makes him a more realistic late-window answer than a bigger, longer chase. United still have not made their final decision, but the clock is already part of the story, with the deadline set for 11pm on Tuesday.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
