Manchester United Target Jorge Salinas to Solve Left-Back Dilemma

Manchester United are weighing up a move for Racing Santander left-back Jorge Salinas as Michael Carrick pushes to solve a glaring issue on his left flank before the transfer window shuts.

United’s left-back puzzle

Left-back has become a problem position at Old Trafford. Luke Shaw is heading into the final year of his contract, Patrick Dorgu has been pushed higher up to the wing, and both Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui are naturally right-backs being asked to plug gaps.

Harry Amass is highly regarded inside the club, but the teenager has no top-flight minutes to his name. United’s preference was a more proven option, which is why Newcastle’s Lewis Hall emerged as a leading target, combining Premier League experience with long-term upside.

That path has closed. Newcastle’s summer upheaval – with Bruno Guimaraes, Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali all departing – has reshaped their own plans and effectively shut the door on Hall leaving. With less than two weeks left in the window, United are being forced to move quickly.

Salinas emerges as a live option

That urgency has dragged Jorge Salinas into the spotlight. The 19-year-old helped power Racing Santander’s promotion to La Liga last season, catching the eye with his attacking output from full-back.

Salinas produced seven assists in 34 appearances across all competitions, numbers that have already put him on the radar of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. Now United are circling.

Spanish outlet Infobae report that Atletico have already seen a £12m bid knocked back, short of the £14m release clause that Santander sporting director Chema Aragon has openly pointed to. Salinas is under contract until 2029, but that clause keeps the situation volatile.

Atletico, still interested but not yet willing to meet the full figure, are said to be wrestling with the deal. Their hesitation has opened a door. United, sensing an opportunity, are exploring whether they can step in late and hijack the move.

Atletico’s deadline, United’s opening

Atletico were expected to drive this transfer, yet their stance has shifted. Reports in Spain claim the Madrid club have now imposed a weekend deadline on the negotiations, effectively telling Santander they will walk away if no progress is made.

If that happens, United would have a clear run at the Spain U19 international.

Santander, for their part, have tried to regain control. The club have reportedly offered Salinas a contract extension, even though his current deal already runs to 2029. The player, however, is understood to be keeping his options open as the clock ticks towards deadline day.

That tension has played out publicly. Aragon, speaking via SportWitness, did not hide his irritation at the constant speculation.

“You’re all going on about this every day. First, it’s about the release clause; then, it’s about one club or another,” he said. “Thankfully, the kid is focused. If someone comes along, brings the €16m, and the boy likes the team, he’ll leave.”

The message is blunt: meet the clause, convince the player, and the deal is there.

A late-window test for United

For Carrick and United’s recruitment team, Salinas represents a different kind of solution to the left-back issue: young, attack-minded, and already tested in a promotion campaign, but still unproven at the very top level.

With Hall now unlikely, Shaw’s contract ticking down and makeshift options stretched thin, United are being pushed towards a decision. Do they trust the academy and short-term fixes, or pay the money for a teenager who could define the position for a decade?

The answer may depend on how quickly they move – and whether Atletico really do step aside and leave Old Trafford with a free run at one of Spain’s most talked-about young defenders.