Manchester United are reportedly willing to keep Luke Shaw beyond his current contract, but only if the experienced left-back accepts a pay cut.
According to The Sun, Shaw is in the final year of his contract at Old Trafford and does not include an option to extend his contract.
The 30-year-old currently earns around £200,000 a week, but United are unlikely to offer the same level of pay if new negotiations take place.
This reflects a wider change in United’s approach to team building.
Clubs are trying to avoid imposing big salaries on older players unless the terms are heavily performance-based or economically prudent.
Loyalty and long-term planning
The situation in the show is not simple. On the one hand, United are already looking for a long-term left-back, with the defender set to turn 32 before the start of the 2027-28 season.
It would therefore be logical for the club to plan ahead rather than wait until his decline becomes clear.
Shaw, on the other hand, gave United a huge reminder of his worth last season. He became only the fifth player in Manchester United’s Premier League era to start all 38 league games in a single season.
After years of injury concerns, this level of availability was a big statement.
United’s official website confirmed in 2023 that Shaw had signed a contract until 2027, with Sky Sports also reporting on the extension at the time.
Manchester United could offer Shaw a Maguire-type contract
If United decide to keep Shaw, the club could consider a structure similar to Harry Maguire’s recent contract extension, with lower guaranteed wages and bonuses and performance clauses.
That would be a fair compromise. Shaw remains one of United’s most experienced defenders and can still provide quality when fit, but the club also need to protect themselves financially.
This feels less like a loyalty decision and more like a test of United’s new discipline.
There may still be a role for Shaw, but only on terms that suit the club’s future.
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