Luke Shaw has thrown his full support behind Ruben Amorim's uncompromising methods at Manchester United, declaring that the squad no longer contains any "stragglers" under the Portuguese manager's regime.
The England defender offered a frank assessment of the transformed atmosphere at Old Trafford during a Premier League community event in Chicago, where United are currently on their pre-season tour.
"There are no stragglers in this group any more," Shaw stated, praising Amorim's impact since taking charge in November.
The 29-year-old revealed that Amorim has successfully eliminated what he described as a "toxic" environment that had plagued the club in recent years.
Luke Shaw praised Ruben Amorim for ridding the club of its 'toxic' environment
|PA
Shaw emphasised that the current squad represents the tightest unit he has experienced during his 11-year tenure at United, with players now unified in their commitment to the manager's exacting standards and tactical philosophy.
Amorim's ruthless approach has resulted in five first-team players being excluded from United's pre-season preparations, with the manager making clear that standards must be met regardless of reputation.
Marcus Rashford has already departed on loan to Barcelona, whilst Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia were all omitted from the club's tour of the United States.
The Portuguese coach previously demonstrated his no-nonsense attitude by dropping both Garnacho and Rashford for December's Manchester derby due to concerns over their training ground attitude and application.
Interest has emerged from Juventus for Sancho, whilst Garnacho has reportedly been offered to domestic rivals Chelsea and Aston Villa.
Meanwhile, United have strengthened their attacking options by securing the signatures of Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo and Wolves forward Matheus Cunha, with the club still pursuing additional reinforcements including a potential centre-forward signing.
Shaw provided detailed insight into Amorim's demanding approach, revealing that the manager refuses to accept anything less than complete commitment from his players.
"Ruben demands 100 per cent and that's it and he doesn't want anything less. If someone's doing 85 to 90 per cent, it's not enough for him," Shaw explained.
The defender highlighted how Amorim's focus on mentality has become central to his management style, with the Portuguese coach making it abundantly clear that playing time depends entirely on meeting his standards.
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Marcus Rashford signed for Barcelona after being left out by Ruben Amorim
| GETTY"I think, especially this year, if you're not doing the right things, I feel like you won't play. And he's not bothered," Shaw said.
He added that Amorim "doesn't care who the player is" when enforcing his principles, noting that the manager's willingness to make tough decisions stems from understanding that "his job is always on the line."
Shaw believes this uncompromising stance represents the only viable approach at a club of United's stature.
Joshua Zirkzee has acknowledged that both he and strike partner Rasmus Hojlund must improve their goalscoring output following a disappointing campaign that saw the pair net just seven Premier League goals combined.
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| ReutersThe Dutch forward, who arrived from Bologna for £36.5 million last summer, admitted that Amorim's primary demand is clear: "He wants goals so that's what I have to work on."
Despite United's pursuit of additional attacking reinforcements, with Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins and RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko under consideration, Zirkzee expressed confidence about securing his place in the team.
"I'm very confident, everyone's very confident," he stated, adding that he trusts Amorim completely regarding his role, whether deployed as a number 10 or striker.
The 23-year-old also reflected on receiving overwhelming support from United fans following a difficult substitution against Newcastle, saying the backing made him "want to go out there and give even more for the club."