'They need him!' - Paul Scholes urges Manchester United to sign £75m Newcastle defender after Luke Shaw struggles

Manchester United legend has urged his former club to resurrect their interest in Newcastle United defender Hall following Shaw's difficult start to the new campaign. Despite a high-scoring 5-2 victory over Ipswich Town at Old Trafford, Scholes expressed deep concern regarding the defensive stability of Michael Carrick's side.

Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Scholes was blunt in his assessment of United's performance and the need for new blood. "I think United would have taken going 1-0 down, the way they played in the first half. It could have been two or three," Scholes said.

He added: "What we saw yesterday, I think that sums what you’re going to get from United. They could have been two or three down but also, you look at the second half, and they were devastating."

While Hall has been a long-term target for the recruitment team at Old Trafford, Newcastle have remained firm in their stance on the 21-year-old. The Magpies consider him one of their "untouchables," but reports suggest they could be swayed by a massive financial package. According to recent updates, the Magpies might be willing to ‘consider’ a late deal for Hall if they receive an bid upwards of £75m.

Scholes believes that Shaw's struggle against Ipswich winger Abdul Fatawu should serve as a catalyst for Carrick to demand more signings. "100 per cent. That will have been going on for months, you’re not just talking the last couple of days," Scholes noted when asked if reinforcements were needed. "Do you know one thing that might help Michael? Shaw getting done yesterday [against Ipswich] like he did. So he might go, 'Look, we need him', and you think Hall might be the most doable who is out there and available."

While Scholes is pushing for an immediate replacement, Rio Ferdinand has taken a more measured approach. The former defender acknowledged that Shaw had a "below-par" game against Ipswich but insisted the 31-year-old remains one of United's most consistent performers over the last year.

Ferdinand explained his position on his YouTube channel: "In a couple of my WhatsApp chats, some United fans were saying, 'Shaw, get rid!'… Shaw, over the last year, has been one of our most consistent performers and you’re sitting there saying, 'He should be there', or, 'He should be somewhere else'... no! Go and get a left-back that we want to actually bed in over time to be a replacement for someone like Shaw. You think you’re going to go in the market and find someone?"

With the deadline approaching, United have reportedly looked at a variety of solutions to solve their left-back dilemma. If a move for Hall remains financially out of reach, the club has scouted several other names across Europe.

Reports suggest that United have assessed three targets to fill this role including Brighton's Ferdi Kadioglu, Ian Maatsen of Aston Villa, and Jorge Salinas of Racing Santander. A loan deal might be the most realistic outcome given the substantial investment already made in the midfield earlier this summer.