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It could be a very good summer for Luke Shaw indeed with a move to Manchester United and a potential World Cup call up on the cards.

The 18-year-old Southampton left-back is on the brink of joining the Red Devils in a £25m deal - with just personal terms to sort out.

And Shaw is reportedly going to get the nod for Roy Hodgson's World Cup squad after Ashley Cole announced he had been told he wasn't heading to Rio.

But is he the right choice for United, who splashed a lot of money on an unsuccessful Marouane Fellaini last summer, after they were priced out of the market for No.1 left-back choice Leighton Baines.

Fans at Old Trafford love attacking football with the modern full-back expected to almost be a second winger, and stats from Opta show that Shaw is not afraid to get forward.

The Saints star loves bombing on and outranks Baines for dribbles completed and shots on goal (with exiting United left-back Patrice Evra behind both) but the Everton man tops the list of most crosses.

Dribbles: Shaw v Baines v Evra Opta Shots: Shaw v Baines v Evra Crosses: Shaw v Baines v Evra Opta

But what about the other end of the pitch? Defenders are supposed to help stop the other team stick it in their goal, and this is where Shaw falls behind a bit, despite playing in one of the meanest defences in the Premier League this season.

Shaw is behind both Baines and Evra when it comes to tackles made and getting in where it hurts and blocking shots, but has managed more clearances than the Everton man yet Evra tops the table there with an impressive 181.

Clearances: Shaw v Baines v Evra Opta Tackles: Shaw v Baines v Evra Opta Shots blocked: Shaw v Baines v Evra Opta

In fact, Evra also performs impressively with 50 interceptions compared to 37 and 35 for Shaw and Baines respectively and beats both when it comes to headed clearances by some way too with 118 to 60 for Shaw and 39 for Baines.

Have United been a bit rash in letting the Frenchman go? He's reportedly

alongside Old Trafford team-mate Nemanja Vidic.

Undoubtedly Shaw has immense talent and at £25m United are making an investment for the next 10 years - with the Saints man 11 years younger than Baines - but the incoming left-back should take a look at the man he is replacing at Old Trafford if he wants to become the best full-back in the Premier League.