Manchester United Eye Antonee Robinson as Left-Back Alternative

Manchester United are drawing up a Plan B at left-back – and it leads straight to Craven Cottage.

With Lewis Hall effectively ring-fenced by Newcastle United, Fulham’s Antonee Robinson has emerged as the name to watch as United search for cover and competition for Luke Shaw.

Hall the priority, but Newcastle slam the door

United’s summer business has already seen Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Karl Darlow arrive on permanent deals, but the squad still has obvious gaps. A midfielder remains on the agenda, yet the growing feeling around Old Trafford is that the next arrival could be a left-back.

Lewis Hall is the preferred option. Young, homegrown, technically sharp – the type of profile United’s new regime wants to build around. Reports have suggested a fee in the region of £60m, and talkSPORT’s Alex Crook claims United are prepared to go that high to test Newcastle’s resolve.

“United’s interest remains,” Crook said of the pursuit of Hall. “We’re told they’re willing to pay up to £60million to prise Hall away from the North East.”

On paper, that kind of offer would normally force a conversation. This summer, Newcastle have already banked around £70m for Anthony Gordon, £100m for Sandro Tonali and £75m for Bruno Guimaraes, who is set to join Arsenal. Those figures would usually signal a club ready to cash in again.

This time, the mood on Tyneside is different. David Ornstein has already stated that Hall will not be leaving Newcastle in this window, and Crook accepts that United are running into a brick wall.

“There’s no real financial pressure on Newcastle,” he explained. “And you wonder if the hierarchy there might see this Lewis Hall situation as a chance to make a statement – ‘The shop window is closed, we’re not selling any more of our star players’.”

If Newcastle follow through on that stance, United’s first-choice target is off the table, regardless of how high they push the fee.

Robinson moves into focus

That’s where Antonee Robinson comes in.

As United weigh up alternatives, the Fulham defender has moved firmly onto their radar. A seasoned Premier League performer and a mainstay for the USA, Robinson offers something very different to the raw, long-term project that Hall represents: reliability, experience and a likely lower price.

“Keep an eye on Fulham’s Antonee Robinson, the USA international,” Crook said. “The experienced Premier League campaigner would probably come a lot cheaper than Lewis Hall. He’s someone I’m told is on Manchester United’s radar as well.”

The logic is clear. With Newcastle refusing to play ball, United cannot afford to drift into the season with a fragile depth chart at left-back. Shaw remains first choice, but the options behind him are thin.

Harry Amass has impressed in pre-season, yet the plan remains to send the youngster out on loan to continue his development. Patrick Dorgu is also in the frame, though the feeling inside the club is that he looks more comfortable higher up the pitch than as a conventional full-back.

That leaves Shaw as the only established senior left-back. One injury, one suspension, and United are back to square pegs in round holes.

Crook summed up the situation bluntly: “Certainly I think it’s going to be a difficult deal for Manchester United to do,” he said of Hall. The implication is obvious – United need an alternative, and quickly.

Robinson, with his Premier League know-how and realistic price tag, fits the profile of a pragmatic solution. He may not be the marquee name that Hall has become in this window, but he represents something United have lacked in that position for years: dependable depth.

The question now is whether United act before the market moves again – or risk watching another opportunity disappear while they stare at a closed shop window on Tyneside.