Southampton keen to keep young Luke Shaw

Southampton will ignore any bids for highly-rated fullback Luke Shaw, Press Association Sport understands.

The 16-year-old has been linked with a move away from St Mary’s, with reports suggesting Chelsea are poised to offer STG4 million ($A6.16 million) for him.

Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal have also been linked with the latest product of Southampton’s academy, which has produced Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott in recent times.

All three left Southampton soon after breaking into the first team, but Press Association Sport understands the club will not allow Shaw to follow suit.

Instead, Shaw will begin a three-year professional contract at Saints when he turns 17 next week.

Shaw, who has represented England at under-16 and under-17 levels, has made one first-team appearance for the south coast club, coming off the bench in an FA Cup fourth-round replay against Millwall last season.

The fullback looks set to play a more important role this campaign, though, after Southampton announced in May that he was one of the four academy players who will join the first-team squad for pre-season training.

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