According to reports on Thursday, Luke Shaw is set to complete his long-anticipated move to Manchester United in the coming days, with a £30 million transfer fee agreed upon between the Red Devils and current club Southampton.
Sky Sports News claims the full-back will have his medical on Friday, the two teams finally agreeing on a suitable price tag:
Sky Sources: Man Utd agree £30m fee with Southampton for Luke Shaw. Medical tomorrow. #SSN
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) June 26, 2014
Shaw was one of the Premier League's breakout performers in 2013-14, establishing himself as one of the top young talents in all of English football. The 18-year-old left-back saw his fantastic campaign rewarded with a spot on England's World Cup team, starting their final match against Costa Rica.
Per WhoScored.com and Squawka, Shaw's 2013-14 season was truly spectacular from a statistical point of view:
Luke Shaw: Attempted at least 41 more crosses (141) than any other teenager in Europe’s top 5 leagues this season (excl. corners) #saintsfc
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) June 26, 2014
Luke Shaw completed more take-ons in the Premier League last term (56) than any Man Utd player. Great going forward. pic.twitter.com/7WpHTc7xyD
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) June 26, 2014
The youngster combines blistering pace with strong technical abilities, drawing comparisons to former Southampton star Gareth Bale. Like Bale, his athletic ability and attacking prowess make him a possible candidate for a move further up the pitch in the future.
Shaw will be direct competition for Patrice Evra, who recently signed a new contract with the club and expressed his satisfaction with United's appointment of new manager Louis van Gaal, via Inside United:
Evra on van Gaal: "He's a great coach. Robin says he's someone who is very disciplined & loves discipline. So he's good choice for United."
— Inside United (@lnsideUnited) June 19, 2014
Given his young age, Shaw will most likely be eased into United's starting XI, a competitive environment unlike anything he previously experienced at Southampton. He did hold his own with the Three Lions, however, indicating the process perhaps shouldn't be as difficult as some people anticipate.
Van Gaal is also notorious for trusting his young players, having launched the careers of plenty of stars like Xavi and Andres Iniesta, so if Shaw impresses during pre-season, he will have every chance of starting over the French veteran.
Of course, £30 million is a hefty fee for a young player with limited experience on the highest level. But if Shaw continues his spectacular development, he could be United's left-back for the next decade, making such a price tag money well spent.
Source: Bleacher Report
By Gianni Verschueren
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