Luke Shaw's availability for Euro 2024 in doubt as Erik ten Hag reveals 'setback' for Manchester United star
Luke Shaw's Euro 2024 hopes are in doubt and Erik ten Hag says the Manchester United left-back could sit out the FA Cup final.
The English defender has only played 15 games in a season interrupted by injuries, the most recent in Man United's narrow victory at Luton in February.
Shaw was expected to return from his latest muscle injury in early May, but Ten Hag recently revealed that the Euro 2020 final goalscorer had suffered a setback in his rehabilitation.
He united man The manager says he will struggle to reach the FA Cup final in nine days, which is a concern for both club and country as Gareth Southgate names his caretaker. England team on Tuesday.
Asked about Shaw and Harry Maguire, who missed three games with a muscle problem, Ten Hag said: “For England I can't say (if they are available), it's not up to me.
“But for the cup final, we are working on it and I think Harry Maguire has a good chance of being available. We are planning for him.
“Luke is more complicated. Right now, let's say there is less chance of him making it, but there is still a very small and reduced chance.
“He had the setback and now we have to know to what extent he is.”
England will play warm-up friendlies against Bosnia on June 3 and Iceland on June 7, before traveling to Germany three days later and starting the tournament against Serbia on June 16.
UEFA's decision to expand the squad to 26 players means that the coach will be able to risk the physical condition of a couple of players, as he did in recent tournaments.
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Left-back is a problem area for England, but it remains to be seen whether Shaw is considered advanced enough to play a role in Germany.
There is better news when it comes to some of United's other defenders ahead of Sunday's Premier League final match at Brighton.
Raphael Varane – who this week confirmed that he will leave this summer at the end of his contract – has returned to training, as has his central partner Victor Lindelof.
“I can't say at the moment (whether anyone will return on Sunday), but we are working to bring the players back,” said Ten Hag, whose team beat Newcastle 3-2 on Wednesday.
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“Yesterday we saw Licha Martínez (make her return). Now she also had a good session.
“There were also others on the field like Rapha Varane, Victor Lindelof. They returned to the field. We have to see how far they are on Sunday.
“Tomorrow we have free, on Saturday we have training and then we will see what we have.”
