Luke Shaw is set to sign a new five-year contract with Manchester United later this week, according to reports.
According to an exclusive article in the Daily Express, Shaw is set to put pen to paper on a new and improved deal that will see him stay at United until at least 2023, on wages of around £150,000 a week.
Shaw’s spell at Old Trafford had been nothing short of torrid up until this season. Having signed for the club back in 2014 for £30 million, a record fee at the time for a teenager, he arrived with much promise and a lot was expected of him.
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Some claimed he had the potential to become the best left-back in the world, and the natural successor to Ashley Cole. All those thoughts were quickly put on hold though, as Louis van Gaal brought him straight down to earth.
In his first season at United, he spent more time on the bench than on the field as van Gaal was very unimpressed with his poor eating habits and his overweight frame. However, rather than getting offended by the comments, he took the criticism in his stride and turned it into motivation to become a better player.
And it worked. Van Gaal knew the potential Shaw had and was eager to get the best out of him, and the Englishman responded by putting in the hard yards to live up to his potential. He started the season incredibly, earning rave reviews for his performances. And then calamity struck, with that infamous double leg break in a Champions League clash with Sevilla that threatened to end his career.
The Dutchman was sacked after that season despite winning the F.A Cup, and when news spread that Jose Mourinho had been appointed boss, things were looking hopeful for Shaw. There were rumors that the former Chelsea boss was interested in signing him while he was at Stamford Bridge, but wasn’t willing to pay the hefty fee Southampton were demanding.
However, Mourinho’s first two seasons at Old Trafford were very hard on the left-back. The Portuguese constantly took aim at Shaw during press conferences and his open criticism left the defender feeling like an unwanted commodity and there were reports of his family urging him to leave the club if it continued any longer.
Last summer though, Mourinho sent Shaw a message of encouragement and made it clear that he was going to play an important role in the season ahead. It went a long way with the youngster, who decided to have special training sessions in Dubai to prepare himself for one last fight to get into the starting XI as he entered the final year on his contract at United.
All the hard work seems to have finally paid off. United have made a woeful start to the season, but Shaw has been one of the few positives so far. He has been the club’s best player by far, and even scored his first goal in professional football against Leicester City on opening day.
His progress has not gone unnoticed at international level either, with Gareth Southgate recalling him to the England set up. Still only 23, Shaw has a bright future ahead of him if he can keep this form up. In two seasons under Mourinho so far, he made a combined total of just 22 appearances. This season, he has played in all but one of United’s games and has won the club’s Player of the Month award for both August and September. The early signs show that this could finally be the year Shaw turns into the player we all knew he could be.