Man Utd's Shaw one of four left-backs scouted by Juventus

FT Desk
FT Desk
  • 10 Sep 2022 05:21 CDT
  • 3 min read
Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford Manchester United 2017/18
© ProShots

Luke Shaw has been crowded out by Tyrell Malacia at Manchester United this season. Juventus could offer him a way out.

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Shaw was Gareth Southgate's first-choice left-back in qualifying to the winter World Cup in Qatar, but he has fallen out of favour under Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford, with United spending €15 million on Feyenoord's Malacia this summer and trusting him more often than not thus far.

Shaw has been relegated to a bit-part role, and, out of contract at the end of the season, Juventus could be ready to sign him on a free next summer, or at a cut-price fee in January.

That's according to a report in Il Bianconero, who outline Shaw as a primary target, with Benfica's Alex Grimaldo, Valencia's Jose Gaya and Italian youngster Fabiano Parisi also listed as possibilities as Juve look to strengthen in the position.

"What's left in view of January?" they ask. "A necessary premise: until January there may be many surprises, including some in Italy, where Juventus have already signed Andrea Cambiaso and loaned him straight to Bologna. These are big names and should be kept a close eye on in the next deadline."

Juve short on cover

Luca Pellegrini was also allowed to leave on loan to Eintracht Frankfurt at the end of last month, leaving Alex Sandro as the only natural left-back in the Juve squad, with the right-footed Mattia De Sciglio sometimes providing cover.

Sandro is also out of contract next summer with club and player having agreed that he try to find pastures new after eight years at Juventus Stadium, and Shaw is a frontrunner to replace him.

Shaw joined United from Southampton for £30m/€34.2m in 2014, but he has had an up-and-down time at Old Trafford, with former manager Jose Mourinho - now of Roma - once publicly slamming him for having to do his thinking for him.

"It was his body with my brain," Mourinho fumed after a 1-1 draw with Everton in April 2017. "He was in front of me, and I was making every decision for him."

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