• Premier League

United on verge of Shaw deal

ESPN staff
May 12, 2014
Southampton look vulnerable to offers from bigger clubs

Manchester United have reportedly secured a £25 million deal to sign Luke Shaw from Southampton with only personal terms yet to be agreed.

The club have moved swiftly for the left-back, according to The Mirror, with Patrice Evra apparently heading for Inter Milan, who Nemanja Vidic will play for next season.

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Personal terms are also said to be unlikely to be an obstacle to the deal, although the teenager's representatives hope to treble his wages to £75,000-a-week in a five year deal.

Shaw, who signed a five-year contract at St Mary's on his 18th birthday last July, has made a big impact since his Southampton debut in November 2012, establishing himself in the side and earning his senior England debut against Denmark in February.

He has capped a fine season with a place in Roy Hodgson's squad for this summer's World Cup, edging out Chelsea's more experienced defender Ashley Cole.

Chelsea had also been interested in Shaw but are believed to have switched their attentions to Atletico Madrid's Filipe Luis.

United need to act quickly with Evra's imminent departure as a free agent and have been searching for a replacement for the Frenchman all season, with rormer manager David Moyes failing in his attempts to sign Leighton Baines from Everton. He was also unsuccessful when he tried to get Fabio Coentrao on loan from Real Madrid on deadline day.

Shaw would likely be the first arrival under Louis van Gaal. The Dutchman is expected to be named as Moyes' permanent successor next week, having admitted he wants the job.

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Adam Lallana looks like another departee from Southampton after Liverpool made a £20m bid and manager Mauricio Pochettino has been a target for Tottenham.

Before news of United's bid for Shaw became public, Southampton chairman Ralph Krueger said: "It is really important that people respect that there will be conversations going on, beginning on Monday, with clubs. That is part of the business."

Luke Shaw is said to have edged Ashley Cole out of England's squad for the World Cup © PA Photos
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