Manchester United are willing to spend up to £60m on Lewis Hall, but Newcastle have decided against selling him and may even try to tie him down to a new contract. That leaves United’s reported push for Nick Woltemade and Hall split neatly in two. The striker looks available. The left-back does not.

Newcastle's stance on Hall

David Ornstein told teamtalk.com: "I do not expect Lewis Hall to be coming to Man Utd. Following the departure of Eddie Howe, Newcastle will be more determined to keep him, maybe even tie him down to a new contract."

That fits the rest of the reporting around Hall. Fabrizio Romano said United see him as an ideal addition, but also said Newcastle will make life complicated and do not want to sell him. Hall has three years left on his Newcastle contract, and he arrived from Chelsea in August 2023, initially on loan, before joining permanently for £28m.

Hall’s most recent league outing also helps explain why he is being treated as a player worth protecting. He was rated 8.0 in that game and played 97 minutes, a strong sign that Newcastle are not dealing with a marginal squad option.

Woltemade looks more available

Woltemade is the easier move to picture. An unnamed source told caughtoffside.com that he is expected to leave, with Newcastle willing to listen to offers. The same report said the club want a permanent sale for around €65m, although clubs are more likely to seek a loan with an option to buy.

His first Newcastle season did not give many reasons to push back hard on a sale. Woltemade scored eight goals and made three assists in 33 Premier League appearances last season, with 24 starts. That is the sort of output that usually leaves room for negotiation, especially when rival clubs such as Dortmund, Atletico Madrid and Aston Villa are already being linked.

United signed Benjamin Šeško for £74 million this summer, so their spending power is already being tested. They can still move for Hall, but Newcastle’s answer on that deal is clear enough, and it is the one that makes the double raid look much less realistic.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →