United target Lewis Hall again as Conte sets conditions for his next move

Manchester United are preparing a fresh bid for Newcastle United left-back Lewis Hall, according to The i Paper, as the club looks to address a persistent weakness at left-back that has gone unresolved since Luke Shaw’s injury problems began.

United attempted to sign the 22-year-old in the summer but were rebuffed by Newcastle, who subsequently tied Hall to a new long-term contract. Despite that apparent dead end, the report claims Hall is open to a move to Old Trafford, giving United reason to test Newcastle’s resolve once more in the January window.

The same report identifies Rennes defender Adrien Truffert as a second left-back target. The French international is expected to leave Rennes next summer amid significant interest, and United are said to be monitoring his situation closely.

The left-back search comes against a difficult backdrop for the club. Manager Michael Carrick has overseen five Premier League games without a win, leaving United 13th in the table — closer to the relegation zone than the European spots. Carrick also faces an injury crisis that stripped him of nine first-team players for Wednesday’s Champions League trip to Como, and he has had to publicly address former manager Erik ten Hag’s claim, in an interview with The Athletic, that United’s ownership made broken promises and that a toxic atmosphere existed within the squad.

With Carrick’s position under scrutiny, Antonio Conte remains the most prominent name linked with the role should United decide to make a change. According to TMW Radio in Italy, Conte — a free agent since leaving Napoli in the summer — has set out conditions for a potential return to Juventus, the club he managed between 2011 and 2014. The Italian is said to want specific guarantees covering squad investment over the next several seasons before committing to Turin. If Juventus cannot meet those assurances, the report suggests United become his preferred destination.

Conte himself has spoken publicly about the type of project that appeals to him. In a recent interview with The Athletic, he said: “There are many clubs that have somewhat lost sight of their history. I’d like to go to one of these clubs to dust off that history and make it shine once more. Clubs where there’s pressure, where, ultimately, you know full…” — comments widely interpreted as a reference to both United and Juventus.

United return to Premier League action against Bournemouth on Sunday, a fixture Carrick’s side badly need to win to ease the pressure building around Old Trafford.