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Manchester United great Paul Scholes has called on the club to make a late move for Newcastle United star Lewis Hall before the transfer window shuts. The former midfielder feels defensive reinforcements are vital after seeing Luke Shaw go through a difficult outing in the Red Devils’ recent win.

Scholes points to defensive frailty

The Manchester United legend has urged his former side to revive their interest in Newcastle United defender Hall after Shaw’s troubled start to the new season. Even though United secured a high-scoring 5-2 win over Ipswich Town at Old Trafford, Scholes made it clear he remains seriously worried about the defensive balance in Michael Carrick’s team.

Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Scholes gave a blunt verdict on United’s display and their need for fresh additions. “I think United would have taken going 1-0 down, the way they played in the first half. It could have been two or three,” Scholes said.

He added: “What we saw yesterday, I think that sums what you’re going to get from United. They could have been two or three down but also, you look at the second half, and they were devastating.”

The cost of a late transfer

Although Hall has been on the recruitment radar at Old Trafford for a long time, Newcastle have stayed firm over the 21-year-old. The Magpies see him as one of their “untouchables”, but reports indicate they could be persuaded by a huge financial offer. According to recent updates, Newcastle may be willing to ‘consider’ a late move for Hall if they receive a bid worth more than £75m.

Scholes believes Shaw’s difficulties against Ipswich winger Abdul Fatawu should be enough to push Carrick into asking for more signings. “100 per cent. That will have been going on for months, you’re not just talking the last couple of days,” Scholes said when asked whether reinforcements were required. “Do you know one thing that might help Michael? Shaw getting done yesterday [against Ipswich] like he did. So he might go, ‘Look, we need him’, and you think Hall might be the most doable who is out there and available.”

Ferdinand backs Shaw amid exit talk

While Scholes is advocating an immediate replacement, Rio Ferdinand has taken a calmer view. The former defender accepted that Shaw delivered a “below-par” performance against Ipswich, but stressed that the 31-year-old has still been one of United’s most reliable players over the past year.

Ferdinand explained his stance on his YouTube channel: “In a couple of my WhatsApp chats, some United fans were saying, ‘Shaw, get rid!’… Shaw, over the last year, has been one of our most consistent performers and you’re sitting there saying, ‘He should be there’, or, ‘He should be somewhere else’... no! Go and get a left-back that we want to actually bed in over time to be a replacement for someone like Shaw. You think you’re going to go in the market and find someone?”

United looking at other options

With the deadline getting closer, United have reportedly explored a range of possible solutions to address their left-back problem. If a deal for Hall proves too expensive, the club has monitored several alternative names across Europe.

Reports claim United have looked at three players for the role, including Brighton’s Ferdi Kadioglu, Aston Villa’s Ian Maatsen, and Racing Santander’s Jorge Salinas. A loan move could be the most realistic outcome given the heavy spending already made in midfield earlier this summer.