"A massive role model" - Luke Shaw chooses Manchester United legend as someone he'd have loved to have played with
Under-fire Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw singled out David Beckham as the former club player he would have loved to play alongside.
Beckham scored 85 goals and had 105 assists in 388 appearances for Manchester United in all competitions. During this time, he became one of the most famous number 7s of the club. He won six Premier League titles along with the 1999 Champions League with the Red Devils.
David Beckham fist bumping Tom Cruise after Luke Shaw scores the opening goal in the Euro 2020 final (being played in 2021). Do we now exist on a plane of existence strange enough for England to actually win this? https://t.co/TcnQVUWzkh
Shaw initially seemed confused about the legendary United player he would have loved playing alongside. Shaw now has the honor of playing alongside five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo. Hence, he selected Beckham as his first choice. He said:
"This is very tough. I can’t say Ronaldo because I’m doing it! I loved Ashley Cole growing up but if I said I want to play with him then I wouldn’t be playing! If it wasn’t Ashley Cole, because I always idolised him, then I would say David Beckham because he is a legend for United and England. He is a massive role model to everyone involved in football."
Luke Shaw might need to emulate his long-term idol to succeed at Ralf Rangick’s Manchester United
Shaw has had a topsy-turvy time individually since he joined Manchester United from Southampton in 2014. He suffered a horrific double-fracture in September 2015 and has not been able to fulfill his potential consistently until now.
Last season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was his best ever-campaign for the club, where he scored once and had five assists. He then went on to emulate his form for England at the Euros as well, where he scored once and had three assists.
This season, however, familiar errors seem to have cropped up again. Now 26, Shaw has in recent weeks not looked the same bombarding full-back that he did just a season ago.
Luke Shaw’s honest assessment of Manchester United 🗣 https://t.co/3GDMGNXA0Q
He has not been defensively astute and has looked lethargic in consistent spells already. Shaw lost his place temporarily to Alex Telles but has started Manchester United’s last three games. Shaw is one of three first-team defenders along with Aaron Wan Bissaka and Harry Maguire.
The full-back will have one eye at Gareth Southgate’s 2022 World Cup squad for England. He knows that he has a strong competitor in Chelsea’s Ben Chilwell for gametime. United’s entire season along with the future of several players currently looks to be dependent on how the rest of the campaign goes.