Luke Shaw wants to earn Manchester United deal, backs Jose Mourinho

LOS ANGELES -- Luke Shaw says he will not sign a new contract with Manchester United until he believes he has earned it.
The defender has one-year left on his deal after the club triggered the option last season. He could walk away for nothing next summer, although sources have told ESPN FC United are keen for the 23-year-old to agree fresh terms to protect their investment on a player who cost £30 million from Southampton in 2014.
But Shaw insists he will not sign a contact just so United can make some money back. He wants to stay at Old Trafford, but only if he is playing games.
"For me personally, I don't think I would want to sign a contract right now.," he said.
"Because I want to prove to people that I deserve a contract. I don't want to sign one because of blah, blah, blah, whatever happens in the next couple of months. I want to earn a contract and I want a contract because I deserve a contract. I don't want a contract because maybe in the next year or so I'm a free agent, so maybe they might look to tie me down for that. But I want to sign a contract because I deserve it and the club want me to sign one."
Shaw made just eight Premier League starts last season as second choice left-back behind Ashley Young.
As revealed by ESPN FC, he considered a move away this summer.
But speaking on United's tour of the U.S., he revealed he has decided to stay unless Jose Mourinho tells him he is not wanted.
"I was unsure going into the summer what was really happening," Shaw said.
"You don't really know what will happen this season, whether it will be the same as last season or not.
"I will be [staying] unless something changes dramatically and the manager comes to me and says I'm not in his plans. I want to play football. I'm not just here to pick up my salary and do nothing. I'm young, I'm still 23 and still have a very long career and I want to play games.
"I can't keep sitting on the bench and let my life go on, smoking a cigar and not doing anything. It's not me. I want to be playing football. Of course this season I want to do it. I'm hoping it works out here and I play this season here. If not, I need to look at myself and maybe find another solution."
Shaw has endured a tough time since moving to Old Trafford from Southampton at 18.
A horrific broken leg curtailed his best run of form at United in September 2015 and he has struggled to establish himself under Mourinho since the Portuguese coach replaced Louis van Gaal in 2016.
He has been singled out for criticism a number of times by Mourinho, particularly after being hooked at half time in an FA Cup tie against Brighton in March.
But Shaw has defended his manager's approach and insists Mourinho is only trying to make him a better player.
"He said that he knows I can be the best but he sometimes feels frustrated that I'm not doing that," added Shaw.
"He knows what I can do. That was one of the texts he sent me in the offseason. 'I know what you can do -- you can be the best but you've just got to work on a couple of things'.
"That's why it pushes me on more. He says these things because he knows I can do it. He knows I can be a top player. He knows I can play for Manchester United. It's horrible at times because people only see those things he says [in public]. That's fine because I'm a grown man and I can take stuff like that. I'm used to it. But the stuff inside the training ground, no-one sees apart from me. It still gives me confidence."