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Luke Shaw’s significance to the Manchester United workforce could be understood in Erik ten Hag’s current feedback concerning the 28-year-old.
Talking to Sky Sports activities earlier than United’s recreation towards Luton City yesterday the Dutchman claimed, “If Luke Shaw is match he performs, he provides a brand new stage to Manchester United’s recreation”.
This sentiment can also be echoed by The Athletic , who’ve identified the quite a few benefits the Englishman brings to Ten Hag’s United.
“The England left-back will not be solely their finest defender in broad areas, he’s additionally very important to how Ten Hag’s workforce progress the ball between the 2 penalty containers. Shaw’s left-footedness is crucial to Ten Hag’s techniques and the Dutchman values the passing angles and defensive orientation this brings”.
In accordance with the American outlet, quite a few United gamers additionally profit from the Englishman’s presence as “Ten Hag mentioned that his presence makes Harry Maguire a extra viable possibility at left centre-back. When sharing the left flank with Shaw, Marcus Rashford’s attacking recreation can also be a lot improved. Rasmus Hojlund is one other, with the Dane having fun with the low crosses Shaw performs into the penalty space”.
Nonetheless, there’s a catch. Shaw will get injured quite a bit. Not as a lot as he used to, however nonetheless too steadily. United followers had been relieved once they noticed the defender get well from a knock at Villa Park final week to make the primary eleven towards Luton yesterday afternoon.
Nonetheless, clearly by no means 100%, the England worldwide had a torrid afternoon towards the uncooked velocity and energy of Luton’s Chiedozie Ogbene and needed to be subbed off simply earlier than the interval with an harm.
United’s left-back state of affairs has been compounded by the very fact final season’s stable backup Tyrell Malacia has not performed all season owing to a critical harm.
The shortage of choices has resulted in a revel bag of deputies comparable to Sofyan Amrabat and most not too long ago Victor Lindelof being tasked to cowl unfamiliar terrain.
Subsequently, United want a backup defender who can contribute in an attacking sense but in addition present the defensive capabilities {that a} wholesome, in-form Shaw brings to the desk. Furthermore, the potential left-back should be younger sufficient to sit down on the bench to deputise for Shaw but in addition be skilled sufficient to contribute when known as upon.
Listed below are three potential choices INEOS might look to herald throughout the summer season window.
Miguel Gutierrez
The strongest candidate for the function is the 22-year-old Girona left-back. The Spaniard is described as “a tactical marvel, adept at making overlapping and underlapping attacking runs, and is aware of when to invert into midfield
and contain himself in his facet’s good attacking rotations”.
The defender will surely match Ten Hag’s most well-liked techniques of inverted full backs which Diogo Dalot has been in a position to carry out to such nice impact this season.
The Liga participant would add youth but in addition expertise in top-level soccer, enjoying for an extremely engaging Girona facet. He might not have the defensive acumen of the second possibility under however will surely add extra to the possession facet of the sport.
Aaron Hickey
The 21-year-old Scottish fullback had been in spectacular kind for Brentford earlier than selecting up a critical harm on the finish of October. The defender continues to be out of motion, after struggling a current setback however has proven a whole lot of promise since breaking into the West London workforce.
In accordance with footballobservatory.com, the fullback is rated as some of the promising two-way left-backs within the league.
Regardless of his harm, Hickey suits the INEOS mannequin of younger, British and Premier League confirmed. The teen could be greater than ready to sit down on the bench for a few seasons and be taught from Shaw, with the view of turning into United’s long-term left-back possibility.
Future Udogie
One other potential possibility, that will surely be the toughest to realize, is that of Tottenham’s teen, Future Udogie.
Rated by footballobervatory.com as top-of-the-line younger two-way defenders in world soccer, he actually has had a powerful time of it in Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs system.
The younger Italian has performed 23 instances this season, scoring two targets and contributing three assists.
While eradicating him from Daniel Levy’s clutches might show not possible, he’s actually an fascinating option to regulate. Moreover, at solely 21 years outdated, he suits the precise profile of a younger, balanced defender, who already has expertise of top-flight soccer in Italy and in England.
