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Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has reportedly ‘approved’ the signing of Jorge Salinas if the club are unable to land Lewis Hall from Newcastle United.

The Red Devils have already brought in Andrey Santos (£48m, Chelsea), Karl Darlow (free, Leeds United), Youri Tielemans (£35m, Aston Villa) and Tynan Thompson (£8m, Tottenham) during the current summer window.

Manchester United are still in the market for another midfielder, a left winger and a full-back before the transfer window closes, while the possibility of adding a new striker has also been discussed.

A number of players have been mentioned as candidates for the final midfield addition, while Newcastle star Hall is clearly their leading target as they look for a new left-back.

However, striking a deal with Newcastle will not be straightforward, with the Magpies asking for more than £60m after already selling Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon, while Bruno Guimaraes appears set to complete a move to Arsenal.

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano insists Hall is viewed as an “ideal player” to strengthen the defence at Old Trafford, but Newcastle are reluctant to let him go.

“Man Utd really appreciate Lewis Hall and Man Utd consider Lewis Hall as an ideal player they would like to add to their squad. So, Lewis Hall is on the Manchester United list, for sure, and he’s a player internally approved at Manchester United.

“But, my understanding is that Newcastle will make their life complicated. Newcastle don’t want to sell Lewis Hall.

“Newcastle already made big money this summer from Tonali, Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes… He (Guimaraes) is expected to join Arsenal this summer.

“We have to wait for the club-to-club agreement but the deal is moving in the right direction. Bruno wants to go to Arsenal.

“So, Newcastle wants to keep Lewis Hall and Newcastle don’t want to sell the player. That’s the indication, that’s the message. Then if you ask me, Man Utd consider him top target? Yes.

“Man Utd are having some contacts to understand the situation of Lewis Hall? Yes, for sure.

“But then there is Newcastle and so before saying Man Utd are going to try all in, we have to understand Newcastle stance and Newcastle position.

“It’s going to be a story to follow, for sure, because Man Utd are not done in the market. That’s clear. They did their stuff in June, July but they’re not done in the market and now we are August.”

Manchester United are now also considering other options, with Sport reporting that the Red Devils ‘are very serious about signing’ Racing de Santander left-back Salinas, who is a Spain Under-19 international.

Manchester United are ‘prepared to pay the release clause of the Cantabrian full-back’ this summer after the Red Devils ‘fully entered the fray in a negotiation that already involved Barcelona and Atletico Madrid’.

INEOS ‘have identified Salinas as their plan B to reinforce their left flank’ if they are unable to complete a deal for Hall, with Newcastle ‘unwilling to sell’ to their Premier League rivals.

Sport adds: ‘Therefore, Manchester United have set their sights on Jorge Salinas, whom they monitored at the Under-19 European Championship held in Wales this past July, where the Spanish national team emerged victorious. The Manchester club’s management was pleasantly surprised by the 19-year-old and believes he is ready to join the first team immediately, where he would compete for a place with Luke Shaw, a player prone to injury.’

The report continues: ‘Michael Carrick has already given his approval to Salinas’s signing if the Lewis Hall deal falls through. Manchester United, unlike FC Barcelona, is willing to pay the Cantabrian player’s release clause, valued at €16 million. The Catalan club, for its part, is offering a maximum of €8 million, divided into €6 million fixed and €2 million in add-ons, plus a player on loan to lower the cost. However, they have the advantage that Salinas, who returned to training with Racing Santander on Monday, wants to wear the Barcelona colours next season.’