Luke Shaw: Manchester United no longer have stragglers
Luke Shaw arrives for training in Chicago during United’s pre-season tour of the US - Getty Images/Ash Donelon
Luke Shaw has given his staunch backing to the hardline approach adopted by Ruben Amorim and insisted there are “no stragglers” at Manchester United any more.
The United defender said Amorim has ended the “toxic” atmosphere that had taken root at the club in recent seasons and that the squad was now the closest he has experienced in his 11 years at Old Trafford.
Amorim omitted Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia from United’s pre-season tour of the US while Marcus Rashford has been loaned to Barcelona.
Shaw believes Amorim’s uncompromising stance across the board has helped to transform the mood at the club and left every player under no illusion that he will not tolerate any drop in standards as he strives to transform the team’s mentality.
“There are no stragglers in this group any more,” the England defender said at a Premier League community event in Chicago.
“His [Amorim’s] mentality, his demands, he’s extremely tough on the group. He leaves no stone unturned. Everyone has to put the team first. He’s made that very clear. He’s picking players who he feels will be best for the team and that’s his choice.
“As players we’re fully behind him and fully behind his ideas and what he wants to implement in the team.
“We feel like a real team, especially in this pre-season since I’ve been back. The group is so together and that’s something that we need to keep, to make us more of a family and to keep everyone together, driving in the right direction.”
Shaw, seen training in Chicago (above) and preparing to fly out to the US with team-mates Tom Heaton and Matheus Cunha (below), says the current atmosphere at United is the best he has experienced - Getty Images/Ash Donelon
Tom Heaton, Matheus Cunha and Luke Shaw of Manchester United check in ahead of their flight to Chicago for their pre-season tour of the USA at Manchester Airport on July 22, 2025 in Manchester, England
United finished in 15th position in the Premier League last season, their worst campaign for 51 years, and Shaw admits it was clear things needed to change after the club had become mired in negativity.
“It’s not hard to see from the outside what it’s been like,” he said. “A lot of the time I’ve been here over the last few years it’s been extremely negative. It can be quite toxic, the environment, that’s not healthy at all. We need an environment that’s healthy, that’s positive, that’s got good energy and happiness.
“I think when you have all those things, you feel free and you express yourself more on the pitch. Things come together and I think, especially this pre-season, I feel like the bond is growing and growing.
“I feel like in my time here, it’s probably the closest I’ve felt with the squad since I’ve been here. I think the atmosphere is really good and extremely positive. Hopefully that can continue.”
Ruben Amorim made it clear that Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford were no longer part of his plans at United - Getty Images/Richard Pelham
Shaw said Amorim – who dropped Garnacho and Rashford for the Manchester derby in December after being unimpressed by their attitude and application in training – had made it clear that reputations count for little if players are not pulling their weight.
“The mentality is a big thing on his lips, really. I think he talks a lot about it,” he said. “Ruben demands 100 per cent and that’s it and he doesn’t want anything less. If someone’s doing 85 to 90 per cent, it’s not enough for him. I think, especially this year, if you’re not doing the right things, I feel like you won’t play.
“And he’s not bothered. I think you’ve seen what he’s done in the past eight months with different players and things like that. He doesn’t care who the player is.
“I think if he’s not following what he wants, then that’s how it should be, and I think rightly so. I think whatever the manager wants, us as players we have to be delivering that. So, yes, we’re fully behind that.”
Amorim is United’s sixth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 and Shaw said it was no surprise to see the Portuguese getting tough given the responsibility on his shoulders.
“The manager has to do that because at the end of the day, he’s going to be the one that his job is always on the line,” Shaw said.
“He wants to come in and do exactly what he wants because he’s always the one who’s on the end of the stick. He wants to stamp his own authority on the club. I think that’s the only way you can do it, especially at Man Utd.”
United have signed Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha this summer and are hoping to add a centre-forward with Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins and Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig under consideration.
Manchester United have signed Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford for £71m this summer - Getty Images/Ash Donelon
Shaw had claimed after United’s Europa League final defeat by Tottenham that some players had to question if they were good enough to play for the club.
The defender admitted his head “was a bit more hot than usual” in the aftermath of the defeat but does not regret his remarks and maintains that “none of us were good enough” and that everyone must drastically raise their standards this season.
Shaw, who has been plagued by injury problems, was scathing of his own contribution and says it is imperative the senior players especially demand more from everyone.
“I think I had such an awful year as well. I was just fully angry about everything. I just think that’s why I did the interview and said what I said,” he said.
“I think us as players, especially the more experienced ones, we need to be demanding more from a day-in, day-out basis. The levels in training, keeping the times of when we’re doing this and doing that, making sure no one’s coming late or anything.
“I think we need to just all up the level of demands. That’s what I think Ruben definitely brings in, is the demands, especially the mentality.”
Shaw’s lowest ebb
Shaw says he sunk to his lowest ebb last season as he opened up on the mental struggles behind his “horrible” injury nightmare.
The England defender’s appearance against Bournemouth in April was his first start for United in 14 months, during which time he played just 155 minutes for the club.
Shaw says his problems started with a calf injury and spiralled from there in what was the toughest period of his career.
“I know I’ve had a lot of injuries but it was more mentally how tough it was,” he said. “It was really tough. Last season was one to forget really. I’ve had injuries in the past but last season it was different kind of injuries.
“It was horrible. It started with a calf and I’ve never had a calf injury in my life so I was never used to that. It was just a completely different rehab and stuff. Things just kept happening. It was really stressful but I’m grateful that I’m here now and I feel fit.
“I feel real happiness right now. I don’t want to keep banging on about last season but I couldn’t have got any lower last season.”
Manchester United defender Luke Shaw (left) has missed four-and-a-half years of football through injury - Getty Images/Justin Tallis
Shaw said he felt like he let down a lot of people with his recurrent injuries, not least Erik ten Hag during the final months before his sacking last November.
“I kind of felt like I let Erik down with the injuries and stuff. I wasn’t there for him towards the end and that wasn’t nice,” Shaw explained. “Then when the new manager comes in and we speak about different things, different aims for the rest of the season we had then again I get injured.
“A lot of last season I just felt like I let a lot of people down in the club and the team because I was always injured. It was just something in my head where I felt like I found it really hard. I just put a lot of blame on myself.
“I just really felt that I was letting the team down not being available for a long time. The team and the manager were really good with me, especially the manager. He stuck by me.”
Shaw says he has been touched by the support shown by Amorim, who is hoping to keep the defender fit and available after describing him as “world class” last week.
And Shaw – who is now United’s long-serving player having joined from Southampton 11 years ago – admits he is desperate to repay Amorim’s faith.
“For him to say that is obviously a really nice thing for me after such a difficult year last year,” he said. “He’s been really good with me. He understands the problems I had last season were really tough.”
Amorim has been using Shaw primarily on the left of his back three and the defender believes the position and system suit him.
“I feel really good, really happy with great people around me in the team and a really good manager,” he said. “I can’t feel any better, to be honest. I’ve got big ambitions this season so I’m looking to fulfil them.
“I really like this formation. I’ve spoken a lot about left-centre back or left-wing back just in general. I don’t mind [where I play], wherever the manager wants me to play.
“At the moment I’ve been playing left centre this pre-season so we’ll have to see if that carries on. I’m just really happy to be doing this pre-season.”
With the World Cup finals taking place next summer, England manager Thomas Tuchel will also be hoping Shaw can stay fit and in form but the defender says he is not looking beyond United.
“My main priority now for the club is just staying fit and being available for selection and doing everything I can for that because I think if that happens, then England can kind of take care of itself.”
Zirkzee out to deliver more goals
Joshua Zirkzee has admitted he and Rasmus Hojlund need to raise their game and deliver more goals next season.
The United strikers managed just seven Premier League goals between them last term and face increased competition with Amorim still hoping to add a new centre-forward following the arrival of Mbeumo and Cunha.
Asked if some of the criticism he and Hojlund faced last season was unfair, Zirkzee said: “I’m not here to decide what’s fair and unfair, I just know that me and Rasmus can do better and have to do better. That’s all I can say about that.
“He [Amorim] wants goals so that’s what I have to work on. That’s what it all comes down to. I’m a different profile [of striker] but in the end if you’re up top you’re supposed to score goals, I’m not going to take that fact away.
“But the most important thing is that we win so if Bruno [Fernandes] scores 60 goals and we win all the games that’s fine.”
Joshua Zirkzee admits he has to score more goals this coming season - Getty Images/Ash Donelon
Zirkzee endured a tough start at Old Trafford following his £36.5m move from Bologna last summer but his form improved during the final months of the campaign before a hamstring injury derailed him.
The Dutchman – who has been deployed as No 10 and No 9 – says he is confident of holding down a place in the team despite United’s interest in Watkins and Sesko
“I’m very confident, everyone’s very confident,” he said. “We’ve got competition so whichever position the coach needs me is the position I’ll play, if that’s a 10 or a striker it’s no different. The coach knows me well and knows exactly what to do and I’ve 100 per cent trust in the coach so I’m not worried about that.
“I think it [competition] is part of being at this club. I don’t read the news but if another striker were to come I guess it’s only good competition so I’m not really worried. Everything is for the team, there’s no selfishness here, that’s not my mantra. If it were to help the team then great.”
Zirkzee was infamously booed off by a section of United fans after being substituted just 33 minutes into a 2-0 defeat at home by Newcastle. But there was a subsequent explosion of support for him and two weeks later he scored the decisive penalty in United’s FA Cup penalty shoot-out victory over Arsenal.
“Yeah there was a great support. I was really thankful for that. To get support like that from the fanbase you don’t see it every day, so I was really thankful,” he said.
“It makes you appreciate it more and makes you want to go out there and give even more for the club. The only thing I can say is thank you for that but thank you is words and they’d rather see some actions on the pitch. That’s what we’ve got to work on.”
Chicago Fire’s close miss with De Bruyne
United have been training at the Chicago Fire’s new training ground during their stay in the Windy City. And had things worked out a little differently for the MLS outfit a couple of months ago United’s players would have been reacquainted with an old adversary at the Endeavour Health Performance Centre this week.
Kevin De Bruyne gave serious consideration to join the Fire before eventually deciding to move to Napoli after leaving Manchester City as a free agent. But the Belgium midfielder and his wife Michele Lacroix got as far as looking at prospective schools for their three children Mason, Rome and Suri. Chicago hoped to add De Bruyne as their third “designated” player but the 34-year-old ultimately decided he had unfinished business in Europe. Not that it would be a surprise to see De Bruyne playing in the US one day.
Onana plays manager for kids
Shaw and Hojlund took part in a football clinic for over 100 young kids from across Chicago on Tuesday. The United defender and striker played in bare feet in a 15-minute kick-around with the youngsters aged six to 14 at the Premier League community event in collaboration with Chicago Fire.
Andre Onana, who is currently recuperating from a hamstring injury, played the role of manager at the game. The event at the Endeavour Health Fire Pitch was also attended by Bournemouth players Antoine Semenyo, Ryan Christie and Adam Smith. Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola was also present. United are due to face Bournemouth at Soldier Field on Thursday in their second game of the Premier League Summer Series.
United’s NFL tie-up
United joined forces with the Chicago Bears NFL side to stage a “sports mash-up” for more than 150 kids from across the Windy City.
Children got the chance to try their hand at football and American football at the event at Halas Hall put on by the Bears’ “Mini Monsters” clinic and United’s Street Reds programme. Former United defender Wes Brown and the Bears’ former cornerback Charles Tillman were present to teach the kids some of the tricks of their trade.
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