"His main struggle has been with fitness" - Luke Chadwick says Manchester United star is the best player in England in his position when fully fit

Former Manchester United midfielder Luke Chadwick has claimed that a fully fit Luke Shaw is the best left-back in England. He also advised his old club not to replace Shaw with transfer target David Raum.

Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United are looking to add quality players to their ranks this summer, and Raum has reportedly (via CaughtOffside) emerged as one of the potential signings.

The Hoffenheim left-back impressed with his flamboyant displays in the 2021-22 campaign, recording three goals and 13 assists in the Bundesliga.

Despite his impressive returns, Chadwick remains unimpressed, stating that he is not confident whether Raum will be an upgrade over Shaw. Speaking to CaughtOffside, Chadwick said:

“I think it’s hard to say whether David Raum would be an upgrade on Luke Shaw. When Shaw’s at his best he’s probably the best left-back in England.

“He had a really good Euros last summer and since then his main struggle has been with fitness. The real issue he’s had throughout his career is staying fit for a prolonged period of time. When he had that last season, he was in great form.”

Chadwick added that while Manchester United would struggle to find a better left-back than Shaw, he is open to the idea of Raum taking Alex Telles’ place. He explained:

“I think United would struggle to find a left-back better than him. If Shaw stays fit then I think he’ll be the first choice, even if the lad from Hoffenheim looks promising.

“Erik ten Hag will look through this squad and decide where it needs strengthening, and maybe it’ll be that Alex Telles doesn’t have a future at the club, so that could make room for Raum.”

Since joining from Southampton for around £30 million in 2014, Shaw has featured in 213 games across competitions for the Red Devils, recording three goals and 22 assists.

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Luke Chadwick believes Manchester United need competition for places next season

Chadwick also claimed that Manchester United could do with some fresh faces. According to the former England Under-21 international, there should be competition for places at Old Trafford, which could have a positive effect on every player, including Shaw. Chadwick elaborated:

“The squad could do with a bit of freshness and a bit of competition in all positions. That could help push Shaw on to improve – every player needs that really.”

With the likes of Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Edinson Cavani and Juan Mata set to leave United, the 41-year-old urged the club to sign a few players this summer. Chadwick concluded:

“The squad is already thinner than it was last season because of so many departures, so let’s hope some new additions are made in the next few weeks in a few key areas.”

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