Even Manchester United can't make a mess of their 'ideal' Luke Shaw replacement, with David Raum reportedly the chosen target.

Michael Carrick has come under serious pressure over recent weeks, and it only got worse during the week, when United were blasted by Como in the Champions League.

That result saw Carrick approach the away end and apologise to the fans, but the situation was only made worse when Bruno Fernandes produced an outburst during a post-match interview, criticising the tactics set out by Carrick and his coaching staff.

It's a disaster at Old Trafford currently, and while Carrick is being backed, the club are only going to put up with these sorts of results for so long.

United have won just one of their seven Premier League games, but it's clear that it is not all Carrick's fault. From the moment the window closed, concerns have been expressed over the club's poor recruitment, particularly at left-back and up top, where Carrick is sorely lacking in depth.

According to BBC Sport, United club chiefs have privately accepted that they did not do enough to strengthen those two positions, which means January recruits are almost certain, especially at left-back.

Raum the target United have decided on

According to the Daily Briefing, United have decided that RB Leipzig is the left-back target of choice as they look to add much-needed competition on the left side of defence. As things stand, United only have the injury-prone Luke Shaw as an out-and-out senior left-back, with only currently injured winger Patrick Dorgu and younger players like Harry Amass as cover.

“David Raum is our emotional leader. (…) He charges into situations and sets the tone. That’s what I want to see.” - Ex-Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann

That's not good enough for a club with United's ambitions, and Raum has been identified as an ideal signing, and in all respects.

Raum is an experienced left-back at 28 years of age, and he has been particularly reliable for Leipzig, racking up 117 league appearances and 40 caps for Germany. He is an attack-minded full-back, also able to play as a winger, and that makes him a perfect replacement for Shaw, who is only going to lose the ability to get forward as he gets older.

According to TeamTalk, Raum has already given the green light to Raum, too, and his contract is up at the end of the season, so he is likely to be available on the cheap - or at least comparatively speaking - during the January window. United cannot afford to wait until the summer, and they know it.