Why Newcastle United Must Make A Move For Out-Of-Favour Manchester United Defender Luke Shaw
Newcastle United are reportedly interested in a January move for Manchester United’s struggling left-back Luke Shaw. Upon his arrival from Southampton, Shaw was hailed as the answer to the Red Devils’ defensive problems on the left-hand side but a terrible injury last season saw him miss out on the rest of the campaign. He has inched towards recovery and is playing quite well for the U23 side but he is yet to regain Jose Mourinho’s trust to be a part of the first-team again.
In his absence, Mourinho had to use makeshift options like Daley Blind and even Matteo Darmian until he zeroed in on Ashley Young. The converted winger has been a revelation at left-back. Despite being plucked out of his natural position, Young has buckled down and has produced stellar performances, which only goes to show his commitment to Man Utd. Even in their recent loss against Manchester City, Young was arguably one of the very few United players who were strong from the first whistle until the last. His progress has proven to be a major hindrance to Shaw’s hopes of returning to the first-team.
Hence, with Mourinho having iced him out the squad, for now, Newcastle are understood to have come calling for the 22-year-old. Rafa Benitez’s side started the season on a strong note but have been struggling lately. In such a situation, a move for Shaw, who currently earns £70,000-a-week could prove to be a viable option for the manager to strengthen the left-hand side of his defence. As of now, Benitez has been using a lot of players in that area and perhaps Shaw could provide a solid presence at the back and that is something the Magpies desperately need.
However, Newcastle are in the middle of a takeover period. Owner Mike Ashley has put the club up for sale and it remains to be seen if he comes to an agreement with interested party Amanda Staveley anytime soon. If that happens, it will be interesting to see how much of a financial window is allocated to Benitez to procure new players. That said, the takeover may or may not happen before the January window, which means that the club could be severely stripped of funds next month.
Depending on how that goes, the club could decide on whether to go for Shaw on a loan or a permanent deal. The young Englishman is at an age where he needs to play regularly to sharpen his skills and he is unable to do so at Old Trafford. Moving to the Magpies could open up a world of opportunities for him and considering how strong the club have been under Benitez, it could be a step in the right direction for the youngster.