Lewis Hall 'interested' in joining Manchester United - has he seen them lately?

Lewis Hall was interested in joining Manchester United during the summer and remains open to the move, according to a fresh report from Pete Hall at The i Paper.

The report claims Newcastle's valuation and reluctance to sell stopped a deal, but Manchester United intend to return next summer as part of a defensive rebuild.

We covered reports of another attempt back in September. The more interesting part of this latest account is the suggestion that Hall still fancies it, despite everything that has happened since.

Hall has already explained why he signed a new deal

Hall signed a new five-year contract last month, keeping him at St James' Park until 2031.

Speaking to the Shields Gazette's Charlie Bennett later in September, he said the Manchester United speculation had not affected him. Asked about staying long term, he said that "as long as we achieve these ambitions and achieve what we want to achieve, I'm sure I'll be here for a long time."

He also spoke about how much he loved playing here, praising Matthias Jaissle and explaining how the manager's plans and Newcastle's recruitment had helped convince him to commit.

Why on earth would Hall want to go there?

How much truth there is in the claim that Hall wanted the move, we'll probably never know (maybe Pete Hall is related to Lewis?). But Manchester United's start to the season can hardly have made it more appealing.

Last night's 4-1 defeat at Como left them seven games without a win. If Hall was tempted a few months ago, they haven't exactly spent the intervening weeks making a convincing case.

Unless it was simply for the money, why on earth would he go there?

I struggle to think of many recent signings who have joined Manchester United, improved as footballers and looked better off for the experience. I'd be much more worried about Hall getting swallowed up by the same mess. The whole place looks toxic, and he should stay well clear.

At Newcastle, you could rattle off a long list of players who have grown and thrived here. Joelinton's transformation under Eddie Howe is an obvious example. Anthony Gordon became an England international here. Murphy and Schär have played some of the best football of their careers, while Hall himself has gone from a youngster trying to establish himself to a senior England player. Bruno, Isak, Miley, Burn, Livramento, the list is endless.

We've got plenty of our own problems at the moment, but Hall already knows what Newcastle have done for his career. I find it hard to see Manchester United as a better place for him to keep developing.

A new contract obviously doesn't guarantee we'll never sell him. It does help, though. Hall will still have four years left on his deal next summer, and if Manchester United think they'll get him at a discounted rate in January or at the end of the season, they need to return to planet Earth.

Unless we get relegated, I suppose...