With their season already beginning to take on the appearance of a juggernaut rolling over teams in front of them, Manchester City appear likely to flex their financial muscles again by pursuing Southampton's young left back Luke Shaw with a massive £30million bid.
Southampton have always made it clear that they are reluctant to let Shaw leave St Mary's, and indeed the player has also pledged his immediate future to the club by signing a new contract last year. The sort of money that City are reportedly prepared to lay out is enough to turn any head however.
Shaw had attracted interest from other Premier League clubs including Chelsea and Manchester United, but if reports of the bid prove to be valid, it may blow that interest out of the water. The whole decision may come down to the aspirations of the player. To date, his career has been marked by a maturity beyond his years, and it may well be that he may consider a further period at Southampton may be best suited for him. If that is the case, a deal to sign the player now, with a 'loan back' deal until the end of the season may serve all purposes.
Whilst City's form at the moment is outstanding, the left flank of defence is perhaps one of the few areas that could be strengthened. City manager Pellegrini has rotated former Arsenal player Gael Clichy and Aleksander Kolarov, but neither have nailed down the position, and should City seal a deal for 18 year-old Shaw, it's likely that at least one of them would move on in the summer.
City appear resolved on a strategy of steady improvement by building success on success and developing the squad as they go along. If they secure the services of Shaw, either immediately or in the summer, this would be another manifestation of this, and offer a warning to the reminder of the Premier League that the club are looking beyond this season alone, and are focusing on maintaining their dominance in the longer term.
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Source: DSG
