Does Manchester United defender Luke Shaw have a future at Old Trafford?

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In the aftermath of Saturday’s dour goalless stalemate with West Bromwich Albion, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho again criticised England international Luke Shaw, over what the Portuguese manager perceives as a lack of commitment to the club.

When asked about the defender after the game, Jose stated:

“It is difficult for him to be on the bench, I cannot compare him with Ashley Young, with Matteo Darmian, with Daley Blind. I cannot compare the way he trains, the way he commits, the focus, the ambition. I cannot compare. He is a long way behind.” 

This fresh outburst is the latest public display of the pair’s fragmented relationship. Mourinho has previous with the left-back, having refused to meet his wage demands to bring the then 19-year-old to Chelsea, and infamously criticising him for missing the match against Swansea City in November.

The Red Devils subsequently agreed to spend £130,000-a-week on Shaw when Louis Van Gaal was in charge, after shelling out £27 million to take him from Southampton. However, in September 2015, the full-back suffered a double leg-break during a Champions League fixture and missed nearly a full year of football.

The current season began much more promisingly, as Shaw missed just fifteen minutes of United’s first five games, but has made just 3 appearances since. After being discredited by Mourinho after that Swansea win, the Englishman was out with a groin injury until February and has since only featured against Bournemouth in the league.

Exclusion from the squad against West Brom has been the most damning indictment of his future in Manchester, having been left out completely despite injuries and suspensions plaguing the squad. Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Paul Pogba and Juan Mata are all out injured, whilst Zlatan Ibrahimovic was still suspended.

19-year-olds Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Axel Tuanzebe both made the matchday squad as backup defenders at Shaw’s expense, the latter doing so despite having never made a league appearance for the first-team.

It appears unlikely that the left-back, who cost the club so much money only two years ago, will ever improve his stature at the club whilst Mourinho is in charge and may well be sold in the summer. If Shaw does leave, there will be no shortage of interested Premier League clubs, with his position one of weakness for several sides, including United’s close rivals Arsenal and Liverpool.

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