TA correspondent Laurie Whitwell reports that three weeks ago, Manchester United CEO Berrada called Newcastle's senior management and largely abandoned pursuit of Hall after learning he was not for sale.

Manchester United had considered bidding around £50 million for Hall, who will turn 22 next week. At the time, Manchester United believed that moving to Old Trafford and playing in the Champions League would appeal to him.

However, about three weeks before the transfer deadline, the pursuit of Hall cooled significantly. At that time, CEO Berrada called Newcastle United CEO David Ashworth to discuss the deal directly at a senior level, and the response was that Hall was not for sale. Manchester United largely accepted this position.

After selling Anthony Gordon, Tonali, and Guimarães, and given the growing fan sentiment, Newcastle United was unwilling to let go of another key player. Moreover, at that stage of the summer window, the club had no financial need to sell. If Manchester United had made a move earlier, things might have been different, but at the time they were still weighing their midfield options.

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