Manchester United Target Jorge Salinas for Left-Back Solution
Manchester United are weighing up a late-window move for Racing Santander left-back Jorge Salinas as Michael Carrick searches for a long-term solution to a growing problem on his flank.
The 19-year-old has emerged as a live option after Racing’s sporting director, Chema Aragon, openly admitted the club will sell if his £14m (€16m) release clause is triggered. That figure has put Europe’s elite on alert – and United are now firmly in the conversation.
United’s left-back puzzle
Carrick’s squad is light on certainty at left-back. Luke Shaw is heading into the final year of his contract. Patrick Dorgu has impressed higher up the pitch after being pushed into a left-wing role. Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui can plug gaps on either side, but both are natural right-backs, not permanent answers on the left.
Harry Amass offers promise from the academy, yet he has no top-flight minutes behind him. United want someone who can start now and grow into the role.
Lewis Hall looked like that player. His Premier League experience and ceiling made the Newcastle defender a leading target earlier in the summer. But the landscape on Tyneside has shifted. With Bruno Guimaraes, Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali among the significant departures, Newcastle’s stance has hardened and a Hall deal is now viewed as highly unlikely.
Time is ticking. With less than two weeks left in the window, United have been forced to move quickly down their shortlist.
Salinas steps into the frame
That urgency has pushed Salinas to the forefront. The teenager played a key role in Racing Santander’s promotion to La Liga last season, delivering seven assists in 34 appearances across all competitions. His form has not gone unnoticed in Spain: Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have both tracked his progress.
Atletico even made the first serious move. According to Spanish outlet Infobae, they saw a £12m bid rejected, short of the release clause. Racing, meanwhile, have put a contract extension on the table despite Salinas already being tied down until 2029.
The player is understood to be in no rush to sign. With the window running down, he is keeping his options open and listening for late moves from the top end of the market.
That stance has opened a door for United.
Atletico hesitate, United circle
Atletico were initially expected to drive the deal over the line. Instead, their push has stalled. Reports in Spain claim the Madrid club have now set themselves a weekend deadline to make decisive progress. Fail to do so, and they are prepared to step away and effectively clear the path for United.
The shift in tone reflects the growing threat from Old Trafford. Carrick’s interest has sharpened the situation. If Atletico blink, United could be left with a free run at a Spain U19 international whose value, at £14m, sits comfortably within their current spending bracket.
Inside Racing Santander, the noise is becoming relentless. Sporting director Aragon voiced his irritation at the constant speculation when speaking via SportWitness.
“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.”
No posturing. No hidden clauses. The message is blunt: pay the money, convince the player, and he goes.
A decisive fortnight
For United, the equation is just as clear. They need a left-back. They have a defined price. They have a 19-year-old with top-flight promotion on his CV and interest from Spain’s biggest clubs.
The question now is simple: do they move first and make Salinas the face of a new era at left-back, or watch another young talent slip away in the final days of the window?
