Manchester United have one clear priority on deadline day: finding a left-back solution before the window shuts. They have been surveying the position all summer, and the focus now looks firmly on cost. Jorge Salinas is the cheaper route, while Lewis Hall has been deemed too expensive to complete in this window.

The cheaper route

Salinas is on United's radar because of his €16million (£13.7m) release clause at Racing Santander. That price is the kind of detail clubs can actually work with this late in the window, especially when the alternative is paying more for a player they would still need to fit into a crowded decision around the position.

The club's thinking is not about landing the flashiest name. It is about getting a temporary signing who can provide competition for Luke Shaw this season, and keep the longer-term plan open for next summer. Shaw has only two Premier League appearances this season, which is part of why the search for cover has kept going.

Manchester United's wider rebuild also explains why this move feels like a stopgap rather than a headline purchase. The midfield work has already brought in Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba, while Karl Darlow arrived to cover for No1 Senne Lammens. That leaves left-back as the last obvious gap to patch on deadline day.

Balde, Hall and United's wider options

Alejandro Balde has been considered, but he looks likely to stay at Barcelona. That leaves United with a narrower market than they might have wanted when the summer started.

The interest in Salinas is best read alongside the other names. Hall remains too expensive, Balde looks set to stay in Spain, and United do not seem minded to force a move that stretches the budget. On that basis, Salinas looks like the most realistic option rather than a glamour pick.

There is also a separate layer to the deadline-day business. Joshua Zirkzee is being linked with a possible return to Italy, with Juventus and Fiorentina said to be interested, and Harry Amass has reportedly been told he can leave on loan. Marcus Rashford, meanwhile, is not settled either, with a Premier League move ruled out but room still left for a late offer from abroad.

The left-back search now feels like the clearest part of United's final-day business. The club want cover, not a statement signing, and Salinas' clause makes him the easiest route if they decide to move.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →