Erik ten Hag eyes Luke Shaw replacement who Mourinho failed to sign at Man Utd

Luke Shaw has long been Manchester United's first-choice left-back, but consistent injury issues mean manager Erik ten Hag is now mulling over alternatives.

Backed by the INEOS team now overseeing footballing operations, United are expected to spend significantly in the summer and a new left-back could be on the transfer wishlist if Shaw is set to remain sidelined. The England international has missed the bulk of this season with muscle issues and suffered another set-back during last month's 2-1 win away at Luton Town.

Shaw missed three months of the campaign between August and November with a similar issue, and as a result has managed just 12 league appearances so far this term. His deputy Tyrell Malacia has also suffered an injury nightmare this sason and is yet to feature at all.

As a result, Diogo Dalot, traditionally a right-back, has had to also play a number of games on the opposite defensive flank in the absence of Shaw and Malacia. In turn, those at the top of the United hierarchy realise this can't continue next season and have been prowling the market for a new left-back.

One of their targets is believed to be a player the club have expressed interest in before. Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo report that United have been tracking Girona's Miguel Gutierrez for months - a player Jose Murinho was keen on during his reign as Red Devils boss.

It must be said that his performances this term have not gone unnoticed and as a result, United are not the only major European outfit keen on his signature. Real Madrid, the boyhood club of Gutierrez, boast a buy-back clause that is believed to be worth less than £7million.

Los Blancos boss Carlo Ancelotti is thought to be keen on the idea of bringing him back to the Santiago Bernabeu, but Real Madrid are also on the verge of landing the signature of Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies. Were that transfer to happen, Gutierrez may harbour concerns over how much playing time he'd actually get in the Spanish capital.

That's not to say that Gutierrez would arrive at Old Trafford and immediately be first-choice there either. In the eyes of Ten Hag, it's a signing designed to provide competition for Shaw to begin with, given he hasn't really had it from Malacia, and deputise for the England ace when injured.

However, the constant problems that make Shaw someone Ten Hag can't really bank on means in time, Gutierrez could dislodge the former Southampton star as first-choice at United. At just 22, time is certainly on his side.