With plenty of question marks already hanging over his future at Man Utd, the last thing that Luke Shaw needs is for further speculation to spark doubt.
The 22-year-old has had a tough time at Old Trafford since joining in 2014 through injuries and lack of form, and he’s made just 15 appearances in all competitions this season.
Last month, The Guardian claimed that the former Southampton starlet was upset with criticism from boss Jose Mourinho, while it was added by The Daily Star that such is his current situation at United, he couldn’t even get in the team ahead of Ashley Young for the Manchester derby last week despite the fact that he was struggling with illness.
That’s surely more than enough to leave Shaw concerned over his future, and in truth, given his lack of playing time at Old Trafford, there is an argument to suggest that in the best interests of his career, he’s better off finding a new challenge.
In order to get back on track, he’ll be desperate to play regular football, and with The Daily Mail suggesting that Mourinho will send scouts to watch Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney this weekend, that could merely result in Shaw dropping further down the pecking order.
Seeing Young play out of position and get the nod ahead of him is a major blow in itself, but with his chances of playing dwindling should Tierney join the Red Devils, it may well be the final sign that Shaw will have to leave Man Utd in order to rediscover the form he showed with the Saints that singled him out as a real star for the future.
From a United perspective, it’s certainly a sensible addition as while Young has done a commendable job at left-back, they need a natural in that role to be the long-term solution.