Utd feels the fallout from its summer transfer window failures
At Old Trafford, while the stadium still echoes with the Champions League victory over the Azerbaijani club Sabah, Manchester United expresses concerns about the health of the only pure left‑back Luke Shaw, who missed Thursday’s match after a muscle strain and is expected to be further monitored in the upcoming clash with Manchester City.
Injury and Absence
Over the weekend Shaw hobbied off the pitch in the final minutes of the draw against Everton after picking up slight muscle issues. The minutes of the draw were crucial, as he missed the subsequent match against Sabah FK. The photo was provided by Nick Potts – PA Images/GettyImages.
Michael Carrick, the coach of United, emphasized that the concerns about the health of Shaw are paramount. “He recently left the field with slight muscle problems,” Carrick said, “we do not want to take any risk and are closely monitoring the recovery of Shaw.” The coaching staff can only wait to see how the left‑back recovers.
Transfer‑Window Disappointment
In the summer transfer window of 2025 everything revolved around strikers, and in 2026 midfielders were the focus, with United spending heavily on Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba. Despite this spending, the signing of a second left‑back did not materialise by the end of the transfer window, which caused disappointment among fans. The shortcomings in the summer transfer window now strain the squad of United, as the depth of the defence is critical.
Instead of Shaw, Patrick Dorgu featured against Sabah, a Danish international whose natural position is still unclear. Dorgu played on the left wing, although he was signed as an attacking full‑back, and had no problems in the match against Sabah. Observers are watching to see whether Dorgu can long‑term fill the gap in the squad.
Outlook on the Derby
The upcoming Sunday clash with Manchester City will serve as a test for the recovery of Shaw, as United does not want to take any risks before the marquee match. The coaching staff can only wait to see how the left‑back performs in the next training sessions. The health of the player is crucial for the chances in the derby.
In the end the situation highlights that the shortcomings in the summer transfer window heavily tax the squad depth of United and the health of key players such as Shaw becomes a critical factor. The battle for the Champions title and the league placement depends on a stable defence.