Luke Shaw suffers injury setback in cruel Man Utd blow as return date set

Luke Shaw will reportedly miss the opening weeks of the Premier League season after picking up a fresh injury on the eve of the new campaign. The 29-year-old, who made just 12 league appearances for Manchester United last season, has seen his career hampered by injury since joining the Red Devils a decade ago.

Shaw missed the majority of United’s pre-season campaign after reaching the final of Euro 2024 with England. He returned to training ahead of this weekend’s Premier League opener against Fulham but is set to spend even more time on the treatment table.

The former Southampton ace will be out until the September international break after suffering a calf injury in a training session, according to The Athletic. It is said that United are stepping up their pursuit of a left-sided defender to provide cover for Shaw until he is fit again.

Club executives were said to have met with former Atletico Madrid defender Mario Hermoso last week to put the feelers out regarding a move to Old Trafford. However, the report adds that Hermoso is not being pursued by United at this time despite being available on a free transfer.

United have also discussed a potential move for Marcos Alonso, who remains unattached after leaving Barcelona at the end of last season. The 33-year-old boasts plenty of Premier League experience after spending six years at Chelsea between 2016 and 2022.

Shaw, meanwhile, faces a fresh spell on the sidelines after being struck down by yet another injury just days before the new season. He was once considered as one of the country’s best young players but has struggled to stay fit since arriving at Old Trafford in 2014.

He suffered a double leg break in a Champions League game at PSV Eindhoven in 2015 which kept him out of action for 11 months. A range of additional problems have restricted his playing time at United since then, with Shaw having averaged just 25 appearances per season.

Shaw was regularly berated for his fitness by former United boss Jose Mourinho, who made it clear that he was not fond of working with the defender. Erik ten Hag, meanwhile, recently suggested that his injury struggles have prevented him from being recognised as a world-leading player in his position.

“Shaw is the best left-back in the world, he is so good,” said the United boss in May. “But he had a very serious injury at the beginning of his career. As a result, he will never be able to play 60 games in a year.”