Luke Shaw is having plenty fun while away with England and now the transfer window is open, spending the last couple of days toying with Man United fans and the media over who he’s been speaking to about potentially joining the club next season.
The Three Lions face off against North Macedonia at Old Trafford on Monday night and have been training down the road at United’s Carrington Training Complex for the past few days, during which time Luke Shaw looks to have had plenty of opportunity to show some of his national teammates around.
Shaw posted a suggestive little pair of pictures to his Instagram story on Saturday, posing for photos with Harry Kane and Declan Rice, along with an equally loaded emoji that has got fans hoping.
Understandably, a lot of Reds have now dubbed his ‘Agent Shaw’ and are keeping everything crossed.
Now, obviously, this is all a bit of tongue-in-cheek from the full-back, however, it’s no secret that both Kane and Rice are not only two of the most in-demand players in the Premier League and both expected to leave this summer, but they have been high up on United’s shortlist for some time now.
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Speaking to The Guardian, the 27-year-old confessed, ‘I can’t lie, I’d love a few of them to come to United’, adding that he, his teammates and manager Erik ten Hag would snap up the likes of Harry and Declan Rice “in a heartbeat”.
He did joke that “there’s a few” he’s been tapping up for a move — the reporter asking rumoured target Mason Mount was among them — but confessed it’s mainly just “a bit of banter” and the majority obviously have very little knowledge of what’s going on behind the scenes.
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On the other hand, he didn’t plead complete ignorance, going on to admit, “I can’t lie, I’d love a few of them to come to United… I am speaking to them and telling them how good Manchester is because I know their qualities. They’re world-class players and they’d add massive strength to us.”
🗣️ Reporter: "Luke [Shaw], who have you been tapping up then? Mason Mount?" 👀 pic.twitter.com/5RMfRW68U2
As for Shaw himself, having used the competition in his position to motivate and recement his place as the first-choice left-back, he told BBC Sport that he believes head coach ten Hag has “taken [him] to a new level… pushing [him] every day” and that he aims to improve even more next season.
For now though, Shaw and the players whose club future might be up in the air have to focus on international duty and making sure they qualify for Euro 2024 in Germany.
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England face off against North Macedonia at 7:45pm tonight and United fans will be hoping it isn’t the last time they see a few more of these players walk out at Old Trafford as part of the home side.
You can watch Luke Shaw and manager Gareth Southgate‘s press conference in full down below:
Featured Image — Beanyman Sports (via YouTube)/Luke Shaw (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 -
19th June 2023 
