Luke Shaw could leave Manchester United for Southampton – if Manchester City sign Ryan Bertrand in the January transfer window.
They say you should never go back. Robbie Fowler, Carlos Tevez and possibly even Jermain Defoe will agree that an emotional return to your former stomping ground doesn’t always live up to expectations.
Luke Shaw, however, could buck the trend emphatically. The Mirror reported on Wednesday that Manchester United’s seldom-seen left-back is growing frustrated with his lack of opportunities at Old Trafford – and is eying a return to Southampton in the January transfer window.
Shaw’s current contract at United runs until 2019 but, after starting just two EFL Cup games this season despite returning to full fitness, the 23-year-old appears unlikely to sign fresh terms with Jose Mourinho’s side.
As such, a return to the club where he started his career, and left for £27 million in 2014, could be on the cards – particularly if Ryan Bertrand makes the opposite trip and swaps the South Coast for Manchester.
The report adds that Manchester City are hoping to sign former Chelsea flyer Bertrand in the New Year to compensate for the long-term injury that could keep £52 million summer signing Benjamin Mendy out of action until the spring.
Although Southampton are desperate to shed their ‘selling club’ reputation, it is understood that The Saints will sell if they receive a big enough offer for the 28-year-old England international.
Shaw’s Manchester United future, then, could depend heavily on what local rivals City do in January. And a return to the South Coast could be exactly what the youngster needs to rediscover the form that once made him arguably England’s most exciting talent.
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