Man Utd identify “very exciting” £58m star as top target to replace Shaw

Manchester United have now identified a £58m player as their priority target to replace Luke Shaw, according to a report.

Shaw’s injury woes at Man Utd

Shaw has struggled with injuries throughout his Man United career, releasing a statement in which he claimed he was “absolutely devastated” by the latest setback earlier this month.

Ruben Amorim clearly thinks very highly of the left-back, given his comments not long after arriving at Old Trafford:

“What I can say since I arrived, I see him in the medical department working a lot in the gym,’ said Amorim. ‘Working a lot on the pitch, we control the load during the games, during the trainings, he was losing weight, so he was doing everything.

‘If he continues to do that behaviour, he’s a top, top player and we need him. No matter how long he will need, I will be with him, we will help him to return, not just Manchester United but your national team needs a guy like Luke Shaw, so we are here to help him.”

However, there are doubts over how long the United boss can persist with a player constantly plagued by injuries, and he has started scouring the market for replacements.

According to a report from Caught Offside, Amorim has now settled on his first-choice target, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Nuno Mendes right at the very top of his list.

The Red Devils have made contact with Mendes’ agents to assess whether he would be keen on a move to Old Trafford, and it is believed he is pleased with the interest.

The left-back’s future in France remains uncertain, as he is not planning to sign a new contract to stay at PSG beyond 2026, despite the club’s wishes to tie him down.

Should contract extension talks fail, as expected, the French club would be willing to sanction the defender’s departure for a fee of €70m (£58m) in the summer transfer window.

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Promising signs for Man Utd

It appears as though the PSG ace would potentially be interested in a move to Old Trafford, which is promising news for United, given just how impressive he has been for his current club.

The “very exciting” full-back is solid at both ends of the pitch, ranking in the 96th percentile for successful take-ons per 90, and the 79th percentile for interceptions, when compared to his positional peers over the past year.

The 22-year-old’s attacking prowess is perhaps best illustrated by his match-winning goal for PSG against Juventus in the Champions League just over two years ago:

Of course, £58m is no small sum of money, but Mendes is at the right age to be a long-term success at Old Trafford, and it is good news that he is possibly keen on a move.