Having taken over a struggling Southampton side, Mark Hughes will not find to easy to take them to safety this season. Struggling in the 18th place, two points off safety, with just seven games to go, the Saints have to work really hard to retain their top-flight status next season. But that has not stopped the club from scouting for potential stars for a move in the summer.
While some of the most exciting stars are linked with a move to St Mary’s recently, one player they are now in the race for is Manchester United outcast, Luke Shaw.
Having moved to Old Trafford back in 2014 as one of the most exciting full-backs in the league, Shaw is yet to cement a place in the first team and is struggling to impress Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese manager has been expressive in his criticism of the 22-year old and has time and again belittled him in the media.
He took it a step further this month after he took Shaw off at halftime in the FA Cup QF against Brighton recently. Mourinho also had some harsh words to say and reports claim that this was the final straw for Shaw, who now wants to quit the club.
The story claims that people close to the player see Mourinho’s treatment of the player as unwarranted and are already in search of a new club for the 22-year old. Southampton are one of many clubs interested in Shaw but can they land him?
Having graduated from the academy at Southampton, where he joined as a kid in 2003, Shaw spent four long years in the senior side at St Mary’s, making 60 first team appearances and giving the club some memorable performances. However, his dream move to Old Trafford is yet to kickoff as he has managed just 35 leagues starts for the club, till date.
He has also lost a place in the national side, having made just seven senior appearances and a step down might be the right direction for the full-back. He has quality and technique that can see him walk into the best teams in England but he needs to gain some confidence again and moving to another top-6 club might not be the best idea for Shaw.
This is what makes Southampton the best destination for the player. Having already spent over a decade at the club, he will take no time to adjust to the conditions and could compete with one of the best in this position in Ryan Bertrand. The English international is also linked with an exit and if he does quit St Mary’s, Shaw may even walk into the first team at Southampton.
However, for this to happen, the Saints need to make sure that they avoid the drop this season. Do you think they can do it?
