United pivot to Club Brugge’s Seys after Newcastle block Hall deal
With Newcastle United rejecting a £60 million offer for Lewis Hall, Manchester United have identified Joaquin Seys as a viable alternative, though the Belgian’s valuation remains a fraction of the initial target.
Manchester United have restructured their approach to the left-back position following Newcastle United’s firm refusal to sell Lewis Hall. The club has identified Club Brugge’s Joaquin Seys as a primary target, a strategic pivot triggered after Newcastle explicitly told INEOS that Hall is not for sale, rejecting offers reportedly reaching £60 million.
The left-back slot has been designated a critical priority for the upcoming transfer window. Luke Shaw remains the only recognised first-team player in the role, a structural vulnerability highlighted by the deployment of Patrick Dorgu exclusively as a winger under Michael Carrick. Furthermore, 19-year-old Harry Amass is viewed as more likely to be sold than retained, leaving the squad with limited depth in that specific defensive area.
Seys, a 21-year-old Belgian international, is valued at approximately £30 million, effectively halving the cost of the rejected Hall bid. While Hall was considered the ideal profile for a long-term successor to Shaw, Seys offers a lower-cost entry point. The Belgian has already secured four senior trophies at Club Brugge and has accumulated 19 Champions League appearances, alongside a 30-minute cameo in the World Cup quarter-finals against Spain.
Despite the lower price tag, the acquisition is not without complexity. Club Brugge are under no obligation to expedite a sale, with Seys contracted until June 2029. However, the financial efficiency of the deal may appeal to INEOS and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, particularly given the precedent set by the successful recruitment of Senne Lammens from the same league.
Competition for Seys’ signature is intensifying, with Arsenal and Aston Villa also monitoring the situation. Aston Villa’s recent sale of Lucas Digne to Paris Saint-Germain has reportedly prompted them to keep tabs on the Belgian defender. United’s sporting directors, Jason Wilcox and Christopher Vivell, are now weighing the merit of targeting another player from a smaller European league against the desire for a known quantity in the Premier League.
