Luke Shaw in Man Utd training.
Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw has returned to training at Carrington.
When Luke Shaw returned for England at Euro 2024, there was a hope that the full-back had turned a corner with his injury issues and was ready to push ahead with Manchester United.
Fast forward to the end of March, though, and Shaw has made just three substitute appearances for the Reds this season. Two of those came under Ruben Amorim's management against Ipswich Town and Everton.
In January, we were informed by Amorim that Shaw had picked up a minor injury, after suffering a training ground problem following the match with Everton. However, the earliest he will return to competitive action now is April.
There are two undeniable truths that need to be considered surrounding Shaw and they are at polar opposite ends of the spectrum. First is the short-term boost that United automatically receive by having the England international back in their ranks.
United have been short on left-sided defenders who can operate their wing-back role since January. While Patrick Dorgu was signed, Tyrell Malacia departed on loan meaning that Diogo Dalot has provided cover on the left, while he's even played there when Dorgu was suspended.
Having Shaw back does strengthen the options available to Amorim, but the head coach also can't avoid the other glaring truth - the full-back needs to be replaced in the summer. When he was at his best, the 29-year-old has been a good servant for the club, but continuous injuries have now made his position at Old Trafford untenable.
United can't afford to rely on Shaw, while his current wage is simply not value for money, which is a real shame to admit but, sadly, there's no getting away from it. There are also questions whether the Shaw of 2025 can play the demanding role of a wing-back in Amorim's system - almost certainly he would not be able to do that task better than Dorgu at present.
So yes, it is welcome news from a personal level to see Shaw back in training. You never want to see any player's career be ruined by injuries.
However, the new United that Amorim wants to build is going to be young and physically strong. Sadly, it is hard to see Shaw in that picture.
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