Report: Manchester United to Spend Another £80 Million in Summer Window, with Two Top Targets – Newcastle Left-Back and Fulham Defensive Midfielder

In their last preseason friendly, Manchester United lost 2-4 to AC Milan, who were led by Ruben Amorim, revealing two clear shortcomings in Carrick's lineup. The first issue is that Luke Shaw on the left flank is unable to cope with two games in a week, even during pre-season; the second is the absence of a holding midfielder, which means the backline is exposed.

According to talkSPORT radio, Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos management team agrees with Carrick's view. The Manchester United manager had stated before the match that the squad still needs strengthening in one or two positions and must seize the opportunity to continuously improve the squad. Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed: "Manchester United are working on more deals."

British media report that Manchester United's primary left-back target remains Newcastle United's Lewis Hall, and they hope to force the Magpies to agree to a sale in the final days of the window, with a transfer fee of around £60 million. Meanwhile, Fulham's Sander Berge is currently the best option for a defensive midfielder; he joined the Cottagers for £25 million, and now the club is demanding double that amount.

This means that even if Ratcliffe offers £80 million, Manchester United cannot sign both of their desired targets. At most, they can acquire one of them, while the other position will have to be filled by a more cost-effective, cheaper player.

The Manchester Evening News reports that Manchester United are accelerating their left-back recruitment plan, with the management believing this is the most urgent area to address in Carrick's squad. Unfortunately, it is already impossible to make improvements before the start of the new season.

The left-back position is now seen as the area most in need of investment, but privately they admit that the deal for Hall has almost fallen through. Manchester United regard Hall as their top choice for this position, but the 21-year-old is likely to stay at Newcastle.

There are rumors that after Eddie Howe's departure, the new manager has convinced Hall to abandon a transfer and sign a new long-term contract with Newcastle. He has been promised a key role in the new coach's plans, and his agent now dismisses any talk of a move. Therefore, with just two weeks left in the summer window, although Manchester United have a preferred target, it remains unclear which new left-back they can actually sign.

As for the long-rumored third midfield signing, the situation is not much better. Aurelien Tchouameni, Real Madrid's player and Ratcliffe's "dream signing," is likely beyond reach, while his teammate Camavinga still has a slim chance.

The Athletic's Laurie Whitwell said: "Camavinga is a player Manchester United have scouted and has been offered to the club. United have considered his situation and believe he is quite suitable, capable of playing both defensive midfield and left-back. However, his transfer fee might be too high, even more expensive than Hall. For Manchester United, money is a very important factor."

For Ratcliffe, money is indeed crucial. He has already abandoned targets such as Elliott Anderson, Matheus Fernandes, and Sandro Tonali due to price factors. The club's current negotiations for 18-year-old English midfield talent Lewis Page have also stalled because of the price.

It is reported that Leicester City want a total transfer fee of £14 million, but Manchester United are unwilling to pay that much, hoping to seal the deal for £9 million. Ratcliffe believes the Foxes' asking price is too high, which would ruin the effect of signing "Eden Haven 2.0."