Luke Shaw is heaping pressure onto Manchester United

Luke Shaw has picked a great time to play his best football for Manchester United. Now he’s got the club under pressure to give him a bumper new contract.

Manchester United signed Luke Shaw away from Southampton four years ago with the idea that he’d be their starting left back for the next decade. His time at Old Trafford has been more erratic than anyone expected, but his recent form has United officials working hard to lock him down for the long haul.

Full credit goes to Shaw for continuing to work hard despite his frequent conflicts with Jose Mourinho. Weaker minded players would have begged for a transfer away from The Special One. Shaw has certainly had his low points over the past four seasons, but he’s never tried to shrink away from the pressure.

Now he’s set to get a significant financial reward for his perseverance. His contract with United is up this summer and that has Ed Woodward and company on edge. They know time is running out to ink a new deal with Shaw. Otherwise, they run the risk of losing him for nothing this summer.

No one really expects Shaw to take things that far, but for the moment he is playing coy in negotiations. Reports from England claim the talented left back is “keeping the club waiting” for the moment. In other words, Shaw isn’t rushing to commit his long-term future to a club where he’s endured so many hard times.

Most likely, this is just a financial move by the player and his representatives. They realize Shaw has recently emerged as one of the best fullbacks in England again. That’s quite an accomplishment after the horrific leg injury he suffered early in his tenure at United. Shaw knows he should be paid like one of the best English players in the Premier League. If United’s current offer isn’t befitting of his status in the league, he shouldn’t give the club any sort of encouragement.

It is interesting to consider what impact Mourinho’s status at the club has on these talks. On one hand, Shaw seems to have finally earned his manager’s trust this season. On the other hand, it wasn’t so long ago that Mourinho criticized his left back publicly. Shaw would only be human if he considered what life without his current manager might be like.

In the end, expect United to offer Shaw enough money to get him to forget about Mourinho’s history of slighting him. Expect him to stay at United for the long haul no matter who the manager at United happens to be. Shaw’s time at Old Trafford will only end when the club decides to purchase a more dynamic replacement. He should be safe for another couple of seasons.