Manchester United and England defender Luke Shaw is expected to be sidelined for an ‘extended period of time’ after he suffered a muscular injury.
The 28 year-old left-back is still being assessed by Manchester United’s staff and the extent of his injury and, as a consequence, the length of his absence from the first-team is not yet known.
Shaw has been a pivotal part of Erik ten Hag’s side throughout the Dutchman’s tenure, even playing as a left-sided central defender at times last season, ahead of then club captain Harry Maguire.
United already have issues in that area of the pitch with Tyrell Malacia, who joined from Feyenoord last summer, out injured, whilst Brandon Williams has recently been loaned out to Championship side Ipswich Town, coached by former United coach Kieran McKenna.
Current options appear to be Diogo Dalot, who played at left-back on loan for AC Milan a couple of seasons ago, or Alvaro Fernandez, who has been linked with a loan move to Burnley after spending last season on loan at Preston North End.
Shaw, who moved to Old Trafford for a fee of around £30 million from Southampton in the summer of 2014, has played the full 90 minutes in both of United’s opening Premier League matches as The Red Devils underwhelmed but edged past Wolverhampton Wanderers on the opening day before being beaten by Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.
It remains to be seen as to whether United will seek to reinforce the left-back position on a short-term basis with a week of the summer transfer window to go. It could take priority over the signing of a midfielder whereby they have been heavily linked with Fiorentina and Morocco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat throughout the summer, who is now training separately from the rest of the Serie A side’s squad.
