Luke Shaw: A Player Stuck In Quicksand

Shaw In Action Against Swansea Reserves 

Coming out from the ranks of one of the most famous youth academies in England, the famous academy of Southampton, from where many great players have graduated, the most famous being Gareth Bale, who is currently one of the best wingers on the planet. But we aren’t talking about the Welshman today, we are talking about a promising young left back named Luke Shaw, who graduated from the ranks of Southampton and set the Premier League alight with his enormous pace and deadly runs in the attacking half, supplying crosses and supporting the wingers ahead of him. Due to his great performances, he was shortlisted for the PFA Golden Boy award and also named in the PFA Team of The Year in 2014. After heaping all this tremendous amount of praise, he was taunted the next Gareth Bale, due to his similar style of attacking play and the latter was also a former Southampton player and a left back converted into a winger.

It was destined that Shaw would be linked with a move away given his new reputation and a host of clubs eyeing the wonder kid aged only 19, with Manchester United, Chelsea and obviously Liverpool interested in the summer of 2014. But Louis Van Gaal got the better of everyone, also current United boss Mourinho who was craving to sign him up for his Chelsea team. Breaking the transfer record, Shaw became the world’s most expensive teenager and signed for the Red Devils for 30 million pounds. In his first season, Shaw was absolutely wonderful and was terrorizing the league with his electric pace. His performances led to his name being shortlisted for the 40-man European Golden Boy award, won by Raheem Sterling with Liverpool that season. But who knew the following season would take his high-flying career to a disastrous road block which would be a steep uphill climb and start a chain of long term injuries, starting with a crunching slide tackle by PSV’s Hector Moreno in the Champion’s League group stage clash in Eindhoven in September 2016, ruling him out for almost the rest of the season.

Shaw Suffered A Shocking Injury In 2016

That wasn’t all. That cringing challenge started a series of successive long-term injuries, slowly making him vulnerable player on the pitch and even the slightest of challenge on him would scare the management, leading them to think ten times before sending him out on the turf. In 2016/17 aged 21 he was again side-lined to the treatment table missing out on the Europa League glory, along with the newly formed ‘crutch’ squad comprising of fellow team mates and injury prone players Marcos Rojo who is expected to return to action in January, Ashley Young who expected to return next month and the fearless Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is expected in the second half of the season. The big Swede is added in United’s Champions League along with the rest of the ‘crutch squad’. Shaw has just made one appearance for United this season, with the reserve squad against Swansea City. He was part of the pre-season squad but didn’t feature due to injury. He was taken so that the team gels together and the new signings get to know the whole squad well and improve squad chemistry.

With the latest reports coming in from Manchester that the club are set to make a decision regarding Shaw, who is on road to recovery and expected to return in October. Mourinho who is staunch admirer of the Englishman is willing to give him one last chance to impress. Reports suggest that Shaw, who has one year left on his contract is set to sign a one-year extension, after impressing in training and speeding his recovery and showing the perfect amount of dedication required in a United player and determinant to help the team in their hunt for silverware. With the transfer window shut down, Shaw survived from being sold with Tottenham interested in a swap deal for Danny Rose. Other reports also suggest that Shaw has time till Christmas to impress and stay fit or be sold in possible swap deal with Spurs. Shaw who is 22 currently, still has a long time to go in his career, has to play or pay to save his United career or get sold having only made 32 appearances for United since joining in 2015 from Southampton. His current situation is like a man stuck in quicksand, who has to be patient but act fast to get out or forever sink in the deep ground. When he was fit and playing, Shaw impressed and played well showing to the coaches that he isn’t done and can still become that old Luke and be a world beater.

Shaw Could Be Swapped For Danny Rose

Although his journey to the top won’t be easy with competition looming around with Daley Blind and Matteo Darmian already impressing and left back. United desperately require a left back who can every now and then provide dangerous attacking runs and support during a counter attacking situation. United already have Blind who plays like that and Darmian who lacks such a quality. Shaw possesses such a quality and can become the perfect attacking left back for United on the condition that he remains fit and performs well. Mourinho is keen to experiment in a 3-man defence comprising of two attacking wing backs. Antonio Valencia is already an option on the right and Shaw if he stays fit, can become the perfect wing back or even a full back and once again impress the hierarchy or eventually get sold off and come back to haunt United like many signings did. Shaw has a big fan following and many supporters still believe he will come back strong and impress. But there are also a few who think he is a finished player who just got unlucky and not UNITED QUALITY. 

Shaw Can Still Make The England World Cup Squad

With also the World Cup coming up, Shaw can still make the England squad, but for that he will have to play like his life depends on it and make this season his best ever and one last chance to save his United career and possibly the Golden opportunity to represent his country in the biggest football competition in the world and earn all that deserved praise back. England manager Gareth Southgate is an admirer of youth and young players, and Shaw could be a part of a new breed of English talent comprising of Dele Alli, Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Jordan Pickford, Marcus Rashford and many more. If he doesn’t impress, he knows the consequences, get sold, ending his United career and kissing the World Cup goodbye. What do you think? Will he succeed or his United career is over? Time is running out! TICK TOCK, TICK TOCK!