Opinion: Luke's A Shaw Thing

One of the many wonderful things about supporting Manchester United is the fact that when you spot a footballer with potential, there is a chance the club will attempt to sign him at some stage in the future.
Maybe it is simply an identification of somebody who has that special ingredient to become a 'United player', a term that is difficult to define but one that every supporter will fully understand.

I remember watching Wayne Rooney in the 2002 FA Youth Cup final for Everton against Aston Villa and being blown away by his talents. I tracked his progress and always hoped he would join the Reds and was delighted when it came sooner than expected after his exploits at Euro 2004 for England.

Roy Keane was another such example of a player United simply had to sign. His box-to-box work at Nottingham Forest made it clear he was probably the only midfielder around who could replace Bryan Robson. Following Forest's relegation, the opportunity to land the Irishman presented itself and I was saddened when Blackburn Rovers appeared to have won the chase for his signature. Thankfully, Sir Alex was able to pull off a British record swoop in the nick of time.

One magical moment from Dimitar Berbatov, pirouetting like a ballet dancer at Charlton Athletic before scoring in style, made me realise the Tottenham striker was something special. I had a conversation with a cab driver the following day and stressed it was 'world class'. While not agreeing with his assessment that the Bulgarian was Spurs' best-ever striker, I felt he certainly had the skills worthy of gracing Old Trafford.

Some slipped through the net, perhaps going back for me as far as Paul Gascoigne. I would specifically watch Brazil's international matches, where possible, to initially see Juninho and then Ronaldinho in action. United reportedly showed strong interest in both South Americans. Again, I feel they had the flair required to make an impression in Manchester and was disappointed they never wore the red shirt.

There are occasions when an individual's performance against United leaves no doubt he is tailor-made for a transfer to Old Trafford. Cristiano Ronaldo is an obvious example but Denis Irwin was exceptional for Oldham Athletic in both the FA Cup semi-final of 1990 and the subsequent replay.

Luke Shaw first came to my attention when playing against the Reds in the Southampton youth team and Under-21s. I'm pretty sure I'd already seen him shine at Academy level when he appeared at Altrincham's Moss Lane in October, 2012.

An entertaining affair finished 3-3 and he was superb at left-back. I made a mental note to monitor his progress and was not surprised to see him nail down a regular place with the Saints. MUTV's David Stowell started a discussion on Twitter asking about the most impressive opponent for the youngsters at the end of that season and I nominated Shaw.

Aware of the mounting speculation that United were interested in the defender, as a long-term successor to Patrice Evra, it was fascinating to witness his battle with Adnan Januzaj in the final game of last season, after he'd already proven he could handle the big stage in the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford back in October. The full-back produced a masterclass in defending against his fellow talented teen and, if it was considered an audition, it was one he passed with flying colours.

It instantly reminded me of Irwin's displays back in a time when United were starting to build an all-conquering side under Sir Alex. If Luke Shaw can come anywhere close to reproducing the consistent brilliance of the Irishman then he will prove to be an outstanding acquisition for years to come.

Credit: Manutd.com