Manchester United are sponsored by Adidas and Luke Shaw was used in an advert for the sportswear giant last year. The advert read: "Where some see adversity, I see that catalyst that pushes me to the next level," with Shaw's eyes pictured behind.
Shaw is no stranger to adversity. The left-back has endured a tumultuous career at Old Trafford since joining United from Southampton for £30million in 2014 and adversity has been the only constant theme during his time at the club. Shaw has had to overcome fitness issues, a double leg fracture and a fractured relationship with Jose Mourinho, which often felt personal.
After overcoming those challenges and with new competition from Alex Telles at the club, Shaw enjoyed the best season of his career last term. Shaw was the world's best left-back. Although that might seem like hyperbole, it's not when you consider other players' performances in that position last season. Shaw was peerless and sensational for United and England.
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It has been quite the comedown for Shaw over the last 12 months. He was instrumental for United last season, continued that form into the European Championship with England, but he's now suddenly confronting his old foe, adversity, again.
Shaw played 47 matches in all competitions in 2020/21 and he finished last season with just 27 appearances. He's struggled with injury and his performances have worsened.
The majority of the dressing room has let the club down in recent times and Shaw is no exception to that. He regressed to inconsistent and ineffective performances again this season on the back of the most promising campaign of his career to date.
There have also been old accusations about his fitness from a section of supporters, but that criticism seems unwarranted. It's understood that Erik ten Hag will seek to improve United's fitness levels in pre-season but Shaw shouldn't worry about that. He has history of returning to pre-season in good shape.
Shaw has taken fitness coaches on holiday for warm weather training ahead of pre-season in the past. Mourinho's comments on Shaw still clearly linger in the back of fans' minds, however, fitness is no longer a stick to beat with him and it hasn't been for some time.
Regardless, the fact remains that Shaw was a shadow of his former self last season. He was well below the level required to play for United, never mind start, but he has enough credit in the bank to suggest that he can bounce back under Ten Hag.
If he cannot, there is every chance that Ten Hag might put an end to Shaw's time at the club. Although Shaw is now, remarkably, approaching his ninth season with United, a new managerial appointment brings healthy uncertainty.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka is an example to Shaw. The right-back was seemingly undroppable under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but that all changed when the Norwegian was dismissed. Ralf Rangnick arrived and preferred Diogo Dalot to Wan-Bissaka.
That said more about Wan-Bissaka than Dalot. While you can't fault the latter for his commitment on the pitch, he can lack quality and yet Wan-Bissaka still lost his starting place to him. It's not a secret that Wan-Bissaka struggles in the final third.
United now are prepared to sell Wan-Bissaka and he's been offered to at least one club ahead of the summer transfer window. The £50m signing of Wan-Bissaka may well go down as one of the worst in United's history and the club will be lucky to get a fraction of that fee back. United seem to be reluctantly giving up on the former Crystal Palace man and for good reason; he just hasn't been good enough.
Shaw is currently not in danger of entering that same realm but another season like his most recent and he will be.
United will be hoping the Adidas advert on Shaw using adversity to push him to the next level wasn't false advertising.
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