England and Manchester United fullback Luke Shaw is looking like a doubt for the Euros this summer as he has suffered yet another injury that is set to rule him out for the majority of the season if not all of it.
Shaw had only just returned to Premier League action in recent weeks and was substituted at half-time during Man United’s away win against Aston Villa as a precaution, at least according to Erik ten Hag.
However, the same scenario played out in the game against Luton at Kenilworth Road this past Sunday and the left-back was sadly left on the physio bench following what has now been confirmed to be a recurring hamstring injury.
Unfortunately for Reds and England supporters alike, the club released a statement explaining that “Shaw has sustained a muscle injury and will be out for an extended period”, adding that “further assessment is still needed to determine the severity but we expect him to be absent for a few months.”
🔴 Manchester United expect Luke Shaw to return just before the end of the season, as English LB also hopes to be ready for the Euros.
Shaw’s Euros prospects are now in doubt following an unfortunate hamstring injury.
With Euro 2024 looming and England manager Gareth Southgate set to make his final squad selection in the next couple of months or so, it will be nothing short of a race to get back to fitness and hope that he might return to action in some form towards the end of the season — though it looks unlikely.
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Said to be a muscle injury rather than any kind of fracture or ligament damage, his United and Three Lions teammates will also be keeping their fingers crossed for a straightforward recovery even if it does take a while.
Now 28, the worry on the player’s side is that he won’t want to miss out on what could be one of his last few chances to play in a major international tournament and having made such a huge impact at the World Cup and the most recent Euros, having scored that incredible opener in the final, neither will fans.
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The defender has had more of an injury-ridden career than most and spent large spells on the sidelines at Old Trafford, in particular, and with ten Hag’s other fullbacks Tyrell Malacia and Aaron Wan-Bissaka both still injured, not to mention Lisandro Martinez also out for two months, they’re strapped at the back.
As for who could fill in for Shaw at left-back when England travel to the Euros, the likes of Chelsea’s Ben Chilwell and Newcastle’s Dan Burn are probably furthest in the pecking order behind him, but Brentford’s Rico Henry and Crystal Palace’s Tyrick Mitchell could also be in contention for the full squad.
On the other hand, Southgate has experimented plenty with three/five at the back and could opt for deploying more centre-halves to fill in, having often used Manchester City star and treble-winner as a right-sided centre-back.
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If you were Southgate and Shaw wasn’t an option, who would you put at left-back for Euro 2024 or would change the shape of the back line to suit the players available?
Featured Images — USA Network (via Screenshot)/Luke Shaw/England (via Instagram)
Sport
Luxury Manchester gym Blok confirms permanent closure after weeks of uncertainty
Daisy Jackson
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure, weeks after the doors to the premium fitness facility mysteriously closed.
Around a fortnight ago, members began to arrive to their classes to find the gym on Ducie Street locked up and a forfeiture notice on the door – but at the time, Blok said that it was fighting to reopen.
Sadly, in an email sent to members today, its founder has confirmed that the studio is now permanently closed.
Blok – which has several very successful sites down in London – said that its relationship with its landlord has ‘broken down to a point where trust has been lost’.
The gym wrote that it’s been left with ‘no workable way forward’.
They said: “BLOK Manchester was a space built by our loyal and dedicated community. Whether you joined us for one class or one hundred, we are deeply grateful. You helped create something genuinely special in an incredible city.”
In the immediate future, they said they’ll be supporting the team of fantastic trainers who worked here, as well as looking after members.
Members will be contacted within a few hours with options and refunds owed.
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure. Credit: The Manc Group
CEO and founder Ed Stanbury said: “While this marks the end of a chapter, we don’t see it as the end of our story in Manchester. We’re already speaking with developers about potential future sites and remain committed to returning to the city when the time is right.
“Thank you for being part of our story so far. Let’s shape the future of wellness. The mission continues.”
Commenting on Blok’s Instagram post – its first in almost a fortnight – people have been sharing their sadness at the closure of its Manchester site.
One person wrote: “beautiful space, beautiful staff and beautiful community.”
Another said: “Sending love to all the instructors !! :(((( gutted”
Someone else commented: “THE BEST CLASSES. I’m gutted.”
Manchester City plotting spending spree ‘before’ Club World Cup
Danny Jones
Manchester City are set to embark on somewhat of a spending spree this summer transfer window as the club’s higher-ups are looking to get business done before the 2025 Club World Cup.
With FIFA’s intercontinental club competition set to get underway in mid-June, the Blues don’t have too long to welcome in new players, but Man City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has reiterated their urgency regarding recruitment.
Despite having brought in four new acquisitions in a very short space of time last season, the 50-year-old argued that he wasn’t completely happy with the extent and speed of their business.
Giving a lengthy interview this week, CFG‘s founding chairman has imposed an internal deadline ahead of the lucrative knockout competition.
Speaking with club media, Khaldoon recognised that while there were incomings in January of this year, he believes they “should have been more aggressive in some of the changes we needed to do, adding that he believes it “cost [them].”
“I can tell you today, we have clearly identified who exactly [the targets are], in what positions, and we have our clear number one option, our clear number two option”, he continues.
More importantly, he goes on to add: “We’ll go about our business, and it will be very clear, very swift. Our objective is to try to be ready with the new squad for the Club World Cup.”
He also suggested the flurry of activity this past January was not just atypical of the administration, but felt the squad fell into a crisis state with the number of injuries, insisting they “had to act.”
City have already been linked with a hugely talented and highly-rated European target in the wake of Kevin De Bruyne‘s departure and a lack of strength in depth in midfield.
An initial bid is said to have been received already and will likely be the first of many City summer signings.
He also insisted that the players who joined last season weren’t scattershot, emergency transfers (perhaps barring the resigning of İlkay Gündoğan) but were the start of the rebuild and “gives [fans] an idea of what’s coming this summer.”
Another player linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium is Lyon star Rayan Cherki, who scored in big moments during their Europa League run this year, registering 32 goal contributions across all competitions throughout the 24/25 campaign.
Who would you like to see added to Pep Guardiola’s side this summer, then, Man City fans?
You can watch Khaldoon Al Mubarak’s interview in full down below:
Danny Jones -
22nd February 2024 
