Highly-rated full-back urged to join Manchester United over Premier League rivals

Highly-rated full-back Joaquin Seys could be a ‘better bet’ for Manchester United than Newcastle, according to talkSPORT’s European football expert Andy Brassell.

The Magpies are reportedly interested in signing the 21-year-old from Belgian outfit Club Brugge throughout the summer.

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Matthias Jaissle’s side are short of depth at left-back, with Lewis Hall currently the only recognised senior option available,

However, the Red Devils have been heavily linked with Hall during the transfer window, with the Englishman viewed as the long-term successor to Luke Shaw.

While Tino Livramento provides alternative cover, the 23-year-old is far more effective in his preferred right-back position.

Brassell suggested Seys, who has now made 73 senior appearances for Club Brugge and won two caps for Belgium during the World Cup, would be an ideal addition.

In European competition last season, the youngster assisted two goals and created five chances in seven starts.

Brassell said: “I think the obvious fit [for Seys] is Newcastle because they need strengthening in the full-back position, and he’d get the most game time there when you bear that in mind.

“There are a couple of things that would recommend him for Newcastle. I think you look at the fact that Trippier has gone. Livramento has his fitness issues, though there’s no doubt over their quality on both Liveramento and Hall.

“I realise Newcastle have come down hard on Hall staying this summer, and they’re gonna offer him a new contract. I mean, you could still see him moving on in the medium term, perhaps after this season, and I think Livramento falls into that category as well.

“If you can get a good season out of Livramento where he plays 30-plus games, then you’re back in a position to sell him because everyone knows what a good player he is.”

He added: “Seys is a player who we’ve seen with Belgium can actually be impactful off the bench as well as starting now. He’s been great.

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“Over the last year or so for Club Brugge, he’s been mainly on the left-hand side, and that’s where he makes the most sense.

“So talking myself round, if you’re thinking where would he work if he was going to play every single week, maybe Manchester United is the better bet in that sense.”

Another transfer hijack for Newcastle?

Seys broke onto the scene at his boyhood club in 2024 and has established himself as one of the most exciting prospects in Belgian football.

He made 55 appearances across all competitions last season, playing a vital role in guiding Club Brugge to a 20th Belgian Pro League title.

The 21-year-old earned a call up to the national team for this summer’s international tournament, though he initially struggled for minutes behind Rudi Garcia’s first-choice left-back Maxim De Cuyper.

However, the youngster impressed after coming off the bench in the quarter-finals, where he was tasked with marking Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal.

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Seys restricted Yamal, with the Spanish youngster failing to create a single chance during his time on the pitch for La Roja.

Reports this week have suggested that Manchester United have made enquiries for the left-back.

Club Brugge manager Ivan Leko fuelled the rumours after an interview with De Morgen on Tuesday.

He said: “I see him reaching the absolute top of the Premier League. In my opinion, he has no ceiling. He has the talent, the character, and above all, the right mentality.”

Which United?

Brassell also argued that Seys is ready for the challenge of the Premier League.

He added: “I certainly think he’s ready to play all the time now because he is someone who has got a lot to his game attacking wise, which is rare for a full-back of his age.

“He’s also a really good defender and we’ve seen that in the Champions League.

“We also saw it when he came on in the World Cup against Spain. What I thought was really notable there is not only did Belgium give Spain a really good game when he came on against the warmed-up Lamine Yamal.

“You thought, it’s gonna be difficult for him to be able to deal with him given that Yamal is now ready, and he handled him really really well.

“That was an area where I think Spain were looking at getting it in when he came on because it is so hard to adapt to the pace of the game when you’ve just come on. And well, we saw how difficult that was for Yamal.

“I think Seys is definitely ready to move. What is clear, is that Club Brugge, as always, are very good at extracting maximum value for their players.

“We’ve seen that with [Aleksandar] Stankovic and [Christos] Tzolis this summer and several others in the recent past. They’re a financially stable club in a decent position, so there are no bargains here.

“But I feel whoever gets him will get a player who’s ready to become one of the best full-backs in Europe over the next few years.”