Rangnick’s comments could spell the end for Shaw at Man Utd
Nicholas Hughes
- 29 Nov 2021 12:15 GMT
- 5 min read
Ralf Rangnick has been confirmed as Manchester United’s new manager, and that could be bad news for Luke Shaw.
The Englishman has struggled for form this season, and what Rangnick said about him in 2020 could be a bad omen.
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When asked about where United could strengthen the squad, Rangnick said:
“They could do with a left-back. I know they have Luke Shaw but I’m not so sure if he’s still on the same kind of level you need for a club like Manchester United.”
That adds to former Man Utd boss Jose Mourinho who has been consistently critical of Shaw’s game, both as a manage and a television pundit.
But Rangnick’s comments were from September 2020, and Shaw went on to have a brilliant 2020/21 campaign for United before shining at the Euros, where he had three assists and scored in the final as England lost to Italy on penalties.
Shaw had his best season at United to date last time out, with a career-best five assists in 32 league appearances, the most games he has played in a season since his move.
United signed Shaw as an 18-year-old for £27 million, at the time the fourth-highest transfer fee paid for a defender and the equal most expensive transfer ever for a teenager.
Could Rangnick turn to Telles to replace Shaw at Man Utd?
The 26-year-old has endured injury and fitness issues throughout his time at Old Trafford, but he has managed to nail down the starting spot at left-back over the last few seasons.
It will remain to be seen how Rangnick will use Shaw when he arrives at Carrington, with Alex Telles still waiting in the wings for more regular opportunities after his transfer last season.
In more positive reading for a member of the United squad, Rangnick was full of praise for Jadon Sancho, admitting he had tried to sign him for RB Leipzig, labelling him “one of the biggest talents in Europe”.
