Arsenal and Chelsea are both reportedly following Luke Shaw’s situation closely, as contract talks between Manchester United and the left-back stall.

Last week, Jose Mourinho confirmed that Shaw would be offered a new contract at Manchester United. The left-back recently returned to the Red Devils’ starting line-up and is in much better form this year.

“Luke is not about changing my mind, it’s just the evolution or no evolution of his potential,” the Portuguese manager explained. “He’s been free of minor injuries for a few months which sometimes stops the evolution and I’m really happy.

“The natural consequence of it is that he will have his contract and he will be a United player for years.”

That sounds pretty conclusive, but the Mirror have thrown some doubt on the situation. According to their sources, United still haven’t even started negotiations with the defender. They say Shaw is keen to stay, but the delay has put Arsenal and Chelsea on alert.

If he doesn’t sign a new deal with United, Shaw’s contract will expire in 2019. The club activated a year long extension for him at the start of this season. That means he’ll only have a year left on his deal this summer, and could force a move in the same way Alexis Sanchez did.

Do Arsenal need him?

Arsenal currently have two left-backs in the squad, Nacho Monreal and Sead Kolašinac. That should mean they’re pretty well stocked in the position, but it’s not necessarily that simple.

Monreal is in fantastic form at the moment, but he turns 32 this month. Wenger said back in December that the full-back position is starting to become a bit too demanding for the Spaniard physically.

Meanwhile Kolašinac has only made two league starts since mid-December. Even Ainsley Maitland-Niles seems to be ahead of him in the left-back pecking order right now, and he’s a midfielder.

Chelsea, meanwhile, signed a new left back just last month.

We’ll see what Shaw wants to do in the coming months, but if he decides to leave, I’m sure Arsenal would show an interest.