Manchester United have been told they paid significantly over the odds.
Manchester United paid big money to sign Luke Shaw back in 2014
Manchester United paid big money to sign Luke Shaw back in 2014
Former Southampton chief Les Reed has claimed he "pulled Manchester United's pants down" during negotiations for Luke Shaw, having sold the defender for more than double the sum the club had anticipated. Shaw became the world's most expensive teenager in 2014 when he completed a £30million switch to United.
At the time, the deal was widely regarded as a significant triumph for the Red Devils, who had fended off competition from several Premier League rivals to secure one of Europe's most coveted young talents. However, it was ultimately Southampton who emerged from the negotiations with a spring in their step.
Recalling the transfer on the Fozcast podcast, after being asked by Ben Foster whether there were any deals where he felt he had got the better of another club, Reed said: "I met with Ed Woodward for the Luke Shaw transfer.
"I came back to the Southampton offices and my office is on the same floor as the finance director and the chief executive. And they had their doors open and we were chatting.
"They've both gone, 'So, how much [did you sell him for]?' And I went, 'Go on, guess.' So the finance director said £12m and the CEO said, 'Nah nah, more than that. £15m.' And I said, 'Nah, you're both wrong. £30m.' I thought I've done pretty well there."
The transfer remains Southampton's most profitable academy sale to this day, with Shaw having come through the club's renowned youth ranks before establishing himself as a first-team regular at St Mary's while still a teenager.
The full-back was among several high-profile exits overseen by Reed during his eight-year tenure at Southampton, which kicked off with him serving as Head of Football Development and Support before eventually being appointed Vice-Chairman.
Shaw has made over 270 appearances for the Red Devils since arriving
Shaw has made over 270 appearances for the Red Devils since arriving (Image: Getty)
Between 2010 and 2018, he played a pivotal role in brokering lucrative deals for the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Calum Chambers, Morgan Schneiderlin, Sadio Mane and Virgil van Dijk. Those sales alone generated just shy of £250m for the club.
Shaw went on to cement himself as a key figure for both United and England, establishing his reputation as one of the finest left-backs in Europe and ultimately vindicating the fee paid for him.
Yet injuries have persistently hampered his career, with the defender making fewer than 13 league appearances in five of his 12 seasons at Old Trafford.
Now 31, Shaw has entered the final year of his United contract and is widely expected to leave Old Trafford next summer, with no negotiations over an extension currently under way.
Michael Carrick's side are also actively seeking long-term successors for Shaw, with Newcastle left-back Lewis Hall firmly at the top of their shortlist.
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