Everton should try to sign Luke Shaw as long-term replacement for Baines

With Manchester United looking to offload Luke Shaw in January, Everton should be one of the first teams to call about the English defender.

Shaw, 22, has had a difficult time since joining the Red Devils and is reportedly set to leave Old Trafford in January – possibly for as low as £20 million.

The former Southampton youth product joined United in 2014 for a fee believed to be around £30 million, but he has struggled to make an impact since suffering a horrific double leg fracture against PSV Eindhoven in September 2015.

Since then, the young left-back has failed to break into the United first team and manager Jose Mourinho has been vocal in his criticisms of Shaw.

With the Red Devils boss being told he must sell players before he will be allowed to add to his team in January, a logical departure appears to be Shaw – a player that could still have a bright future in the Premier League.

One team that must consider making a move for Shaw is Everton, with star left-back Leighton Baines now on the wrong side of thirty.

The Everton back line has been shaky at times this season and Baines won’t be around forever, making the need for a long-term replacement more and more urgent.

Adding Shaw to the team will give the young Englishman a role model to learn from in the form of Baines, who has 30 caps for the England national team.

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Luke Shaw would also be placed on a team that receives far less attention from the media and the scrutiny that comes with playing for a top-six team.

Everton, meanwhile, would be able to ease Shaw into the first team – splitting time with Baines until Shaw is ready to take on the role on a permanent basis.

He would be able to build up his match fitness and earn regular starting spots in the near future, playing alongside fellow young English defender Michael Keane and being one of the cornerstones for the team’s defence in the future.

Shaw has no doubt lost plenty of confidence due to his injuries and treatment by Mourinho, so a move to a new team is definitely necessary for him to kick-start his career and return to the heights he achieved whilst playing for Southampton.

Everton is a club with plenty of history and plenty of help needed in defence, making Shaw a worthwhile gamble given his still extremely young age of 22.

Whoever the Toffees hire as first-team manager will need to make additions to help the team avoid a shock relegation this season, with defence and a striker being the biggest needs of the team.

Next: Lamela To Provide Spurs Transfer Assist

Starting with signing Luke Shaw before bringing in a target man up front could help solve many of the problems the Blues have had this season.

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