• Premier League

United, Chelsea face battle to sign Shaw

Manchester United and Chelsea's hopes of luring left-back Luke Shaw out of Southampton this month may have been affected adversely by the power changes at the top of the club earlier this month.

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The departure of Saints executive chairman Nicola Cortese led many observers to suggest the forward momentum the Italian decision maker helped to create during his time at the helm of the club would be halted, but the vow of Southampton owner Katharina Liebherr not to sell the club's star assets in this transfer window may put a block on potential outgoings.

ESPN understands that Southampton were considering the possibility of selling striker Rickie Lambert to West Ham at the start of the month, but that trail appears to have gone cold for the Hammers since Cortese left and was replaced on an interim basis by Gareth Rogers.

Our understanding that United lodged an official bid for Shaw last Friday - which was also widely reported in several newspapers - has been met with a stony silence by Southampton, with manager Mauricio Pochettino insisting on Monday that the club have 'no intention' to sell their rising star before Friday's transfer deadline.

That stance could change if a reported bidding war between United and Chelsea begins for Shaw, yet Liebherr and Rogers are believed to have assured Pochettino that none of his best assets will leave in this window after the Saints boss has vowed to stay loyal to the club until the end of the season at least.

Shaw's future at Southampton seems uncertain, but it remains to be seen whether the career-defining move that will inevitably transpire for him will happen before Friday's 11pm deadline.

One player almost certain to leave Southampton in this transfer window is club record signing Dani Osvaldo, with club captain Kelvin Davis stating on Saturday that he is 'not welcome' back in the Saints dressing room after his training ground fight with Jose Fonte.

Reports in the Daily Mirror suggest Osvaldo will be fined six weeks wages if he remains at Southampton beyond this current transfer window, but a move back to Italy or to another Premier League club seems like the most viable solution to the issue.

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