Luke Shaw looking to reboot his Manchester United career
Two years ago Luke Shaw was playing the best football of his career. He was consistently starting week in and week out for one of the largest clubs in the world. But that all changed Sept. 15, 2015.
Shaw and the rest of his United squad were facing against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League group stage when he suffered a gruesome double-leg break. The injury forced him to miss the next 11 months.
Flash forward to today, and the now 21-year old is still plagued by one issue: his health.
Whether it’s his style of play, or just his luck, Shaw cannot seem to keep himself healthy for an extended period of time.
But after finally making his season debut for United’s U-23’s Monday night following yet another long injury layoff — this time ankle ligament damage suffered in April — the once promising left-back is looking to finally make his mark in the United squad.
“It’s been tough but I’ve been through it before and I know how to deal with it,” Shaw said following United’s U-23 draw with Swansea. “When I look back at the (injury) I had last time, I think I’ve came back stronger this time and more positive. Now it’s about getting time on the pitch. I’m feeling really good and hungry for this season.”
Shaw’s potential is quite evident. His strength, pace, and fearlessness getting forward is what made him at the time the most expensive teenager ever when he moved from Southampton to United.
However, plagued by injuries, he’s never been able to maintain a consistent run of games. From playing in the 2014 World Cup with England to now the United U-23’s, Shaw definitely has his work cut out for him to get back to the top.
Shaw insists that it will be a challenge to win over manager Jose Mourinho for a place in the squad following the Red Devil’s bright start to the season.
“It’s down to the manager now,” Shaw said. “We’ve had two very impressive 4-0 wins so it’s going to be challenging to get back into the team. But that’s why I’ve come to United because I want to be in the team and I want to be playing week in, week out. The challenge is good for me and it will push me. When the manager is ready, I’m ready.”
But with United’s left-back options limited to a committee of Daley Blind and Matteo Darmian, neither of which are left-backs by trait, I believe Shaw could be United’s answer. However, that depend on one thing.
His health.
World class caliber left-backs like Marcelo of Real Madrid, or David Alaba of Bayern Munich have the pace, intelligence, and physicality to truly impact a game. Shaw has all of these traits and this could be the year he finally gets to showcase them and get his career back on track.
And a fully fit Shaw is certainly a more dangerous left-back than a defensive midfielder or right back, when both have been anything but impressive so far this season.
And with a World Cup rapidly approaching next summer, and a congested schedule looming for United, this is looking like a defining year in Shaw’s career.
“The games will be bigger this season because we’re back in the Champions League and more of a challenge. We’re all up for it.
“Everyone is training hard because everyone wants to be on that pitch in the important games. We’re all fighting for a place and now it’s my time to fight for my place,” said Shaw.
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Hopefully, for the sake of United and England fans alike, the young left-back can get his career back on track and justify all the hype and transfer fee was warranted.