Jose Mourinho might have rejected the opportunity to sign Luke Shaw out of hand this summer, suggesting that the transfer fee and wages being demanded were grossly disproportionate to what the player had achieved, but the Blues could have signed the young English left-back on no fewer than two earlier occasions. Shaw, a lifelong Chelsea supporter, had trained with the club's development centre in Guildford as a child, though was never offered a place in the academy due to too small at the time. Arsenal rejected him for the same reason, though a growth spurt saw him come to the attention of a Southampton scout not long after while playing in a junior competition. Chelsea went back in for the full-back in 2013, putting down an offer of £10 million but seeing it rejected by Southampton. Tottenham were also in for Shaw at the time, though the fact he was - and to a large extent, remains - unproven led to both clubs being reticent to increase their bids. Southampton tied Shaw down to a long-term contract and in the subsequent season, he made his breakthrough for the first team and the national team. Chelsea must have been kicking themselves.
28-year old English writer with a borderline obsessive passion for films, videogames, Chelsea FC, incomprehensible words and indefensible puns. Follow me on Twitter if you like infrequent outbursts of absolute drivel.
