Shaw can be United´s best left-back – Mourinho

Luke Shaw’s future at Manchester United has been given a boost after manager Jose Mourinho said the out-of-favour left-back has the potential to become the club’s best.

Regarded as one of Europe’s most promising full-backs upon his big-money arrival from Southampton in 2014, Shaw’s career has stalled at Old Trafford, having struggled to convince Mourinho this season.

The 21-year-old England international has been limited to seven Premier League appearances, though he has not played in the league since October, while he was not included in the squad for the EFL Cup final.

Shaw, however, is set to feature against Bournemouth on Saturday and Mourinho believes the Englishman will eventually emerge as his first-choice left-back.

“In practical terms we have lots of left-backs. It doesn’t look like it but the reality is that [Daley] Blind, Shaw, [Marcos] Rojo, Darmian are all playing left back and can play there. They are different players,” Mourinho said.

“I think the one that should be in the couple of years the best of all — because potentially he should have all the conditions to be the best of all — is Luke Shaw.

“By age, by physicality, by intensity, by being aggressive going forward, he should be the best. But to be the best you need to work hard. It’s what he’s trying to do.”

Mourinho continued: “I think I have the best right-back in the world and I rotate a lot in the right-back position,

“I think [Antonio] Valencia is absolutely phenomenal and we played this season Valencia, [Matteo] Darmian, Ashley Young, Eric Bailly, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Axel Tuanzebe. I had six different right-backs on the pitch this season, so sometimes you do it by circumstances.

United are sixth in the table, two appoints adrift of fourth-placed Arsenal and five adrift of Tottenham, who are second.