Ole Gunnar Solskjaer signed Donny van de Beek and Alex Telles for Manchester United in the summer of 2020. The pair made just 12 appearances in the Premier League between them that season and they watched the majority of the campaign from the bench.
The benefit of hindsight has shown that Solskjaer's recruitment during his time at Old Trafford was beyond dubious and Van de Beek and Telles are included on that broad list of players that would be considered failed signings. Van de Beek has hardly even played under Erik ten Hag, who he rose to prominence working under at Ajax, while Telles has been sent out on loan to Sevilla this season.
Telles is a left-back that can't defend and he started far too many matches last term. It was no surprise that Ten Hag made him surplus to requirements this summer and the best work he achieved at Old Trafford was actually forcing Shaw to raise his performances.
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It is no secret that competition for places is conducive to raising dressing room standards and the signing of Telles in October 2020 was the catalyst that Shaw needed to improve. The left-back appeared to have become complacent and that needed to change.
Shaw responded to the signing of Telles better than Solskjaer could have ever imagined. Shaw has now spent eight years at the club and he undoubtedly played the best football of his United career throughout 2020/21 when he was genuinely world-class.
He enjoyed a better season than Andrew Robertson, Alphonso Davies, Ferland Mendy and Ben Chilwell, which made him the world's best in his position, and he did his reputation no harm when continuing in that form at the 2020 European Championship.
Shaw scored in the final of Euro 2020 against Italy at Wembley and a fairytale end to the perfect individual season seemed possible. Italy won the match on penalties instead and Shaw has failed to return to the levels he was once regularly performing at.
Although Ten Hag signed Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord this summer, Shaw was given the benefit of the doubt and he started the first two matches of the Premier League season against Brighton and Brentford. United lost those matches by an aggregate score of 6-1.
Bryan Mbeumo outsprinted and outmuscled Shaw for Brentford's fourth goal and the left-back was left standing desolate as the 17,000 fans inside the Brentford Community Stadium hysterically celebrated at the brutal capitulation of Ten Hag's side.
United played Liverpool nine days later and remarkably won that game 2-1 at Old Trafford. Shaw was dropped to the bench and Malacia was outstanding, looking more than comfortable dealing with the occasion and the challenge at just 23 years old.
Malacia has started every Premier League game since making his full debut and United have taken 12 points from those fixtures. Shaw has lost his place as first-choice left-back and he was unavailable to make a statement in the Europa League as he was injured.
Shaw was absent from the matchday squads against Leicester and Real Sociedad and it's understood that he's been struggling with a minor foot injury, but he made his return in Chisinau on Thursday as he played 20 minutes from the bench against FC Sheriff.
The international break has begun and Shaw has been named in Gareth Southgate's England squad by default. Shaw is set to travel to St. George's Park this week and needs to train with England with the level of intensity that would be expected in matches.
Shaw is fighting for his place at Old Trafford and he needs to return to Carrington in the best shape possible - mentally and physically. He has often faced accusations about his fitness but training photos have shown that is not something to be concerned about.
He trained on Saturday afternoon and went viral hours later after supporters praised him for his physical appearance. Shaw currently looks well and lean, albeit that should be the bare minimum. He will certainly need to be more than fit to uproot Malacia.
United are next in action against Manchester City on Sunday, October 2 and Malacia is expected to start that game. Shaw will need to be patient to win his starting place back and he will also need to perform to his 2020/21 levels when he gets the chance to play.
The signing of Telles once proved the catalyst for Shaw to play his best football and the presence of Malacia, who is more credible competition than Telles ever was, should inspire the same improvement in him and that's good news for the dressing room.
Shaw should not need competition to play his best football but Malacia's arrival has given him extra motivation.
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