“Luke Shaw has been having serious Injury problems. We can’t have that type of player here. He can’t play up to 10 games each season. We need to secure the talented Spanish Left-back before he decides to go back to Real Madrid”-Erik ten Hag makes his feelings clear after finding perfect Luke Shaw alternative at Manchester United after contacting the player and his agent.

Luke Shaw is widely regarded as Manchester United’s first-choice left-back when fully fit, but manager Erik ten Hag has hinted at a potential long-term successor after a recent performance in the position.

Shaw joined United in 2014 as one of football’s most promising young talents. Now 29, he has since made 275 appearances, scored four goals, and won the FA Cup and League Cup during his time at Old Trafford. However, his career has been hampered by recurring injuries, including a severe double leg fracture in 2015 during a Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven.

Shaw has yet to feature this season due to injury, with his last appearance for United coming in February in a victory over Luton Town. Despite his absence from club football, he was part of Gareth Southgate’s England squad at Euro 2024. Shaw remains contracted to United until 2027, with other left-back options including Tyrell Malacia and Noussair Mazraoui. Mazraoui, a summer signing from Bayern Munich, is primarily a right-back but is versatile enough to play on both flanks.

However, another player emerging as a potential option at left-back is 20-year-old Toby Collyer. Typically a holding midfielder, Collyer has made three appearances this season after making his first-team debut in the Community Shield loss to Manchester City. He also featured in the Premier League, coming off the bench in a 3-0 defeat to Liverpool.

Collyer earned his first start for United in the Carabao Cup third-round match, where he played left-back in a 7-0 win over League One side Barnsley. This performance, United’s biggest under Ten Hag, has sparked interest in Collyer’s adaptability to the role.

Ten Hag commented on Collyer’s display at left-back, saying, “It was his first time playing as a left-back—he’s tried it a bit in training, but this was the first game. The start was difficult for him, but after some time, he found his rhythm, and as a team, we found our shape.”

Collyer’s performance may give Ten Hag a new option to consider as United look ahead to future squad developments.