Southampton manager Nigel Adkins has strenuously denied rumours that academy defender Luke Shaw will leave the club this month.
The 16-year old left-back is yet to feature in the Saints first team, but despite this Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City are ready to do battle for the latest player to emerge from Southampton’s famous academy.
Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain both made the move from St. Mary’s to Arsenal, but Adkins is determined that Shaw will not go the same way.
He said:
“Luke Shaw is a big part of our future plans.
We have got no intention believe you me, of letting our youngsters move on.
We want them to be in the first-team, playing for Southampton in the Premier League.”
Shaw is thought to have agreed a professional contract with Southampton, which he is to sign when he turns 17 in July, but that could all change should one of the Premier League big boys table a bid of around to £4million.
There is no guarantee that Shaw would want to move however, with Southampton top of the Championship and the player himself making it on to the substitutes bench in recent weeks.
Fellow Saints rookie James Ward-Prowse has also attracted interest after scoring against Coventry City in the FA Cup last weekend.
