EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal step up pursuit of £5m-rated Shaw but Saints are in no mood to sell
Southampton manager Nigel Adkins has insisted 17-year-old Luke Shaw will not be sold to Arsenal, despite Gunners officials planning to use today's trip to St Mary's to open negotiations.
Arsenal will make an offer for Shaw this month and they hope Tuesday’s discussions will pave the way for the club to end their two-year quest to land the latest jewel to emerge from Southampton’s ultra-productive academy.
But Adkins rubbished speculation over Shaw, who has also been linked with Manchester City and Chelsea.
Shaw thing: Luke Shaw has been tipped to be better than Gareth Bale
'I think Luke gets linked every week with Arsenal, doesn't he?' said Adkins.
'Luke is under contract, he is playing football for us in the Premier League, which is important.
'We are not looking to let him go anywhere if anyone wants to come in for any of our players, by all means speak to the chairman. He does the deals and all the best with that.'
Wenger yesterday lavished praise on Southampton's prolific academy set-up, which has produced the likes of Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gareth Bale.
'We produce some technically-gifted players but not as many as Southampton,' said Wenger. 'It is exceptional what they have done. The three wingers [Bale, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Walcott] and Luke Shaw, that is a good way to study what they have done.
No deal: Saints boss Nigel Adkins insists the club won't sell Shaw in January
'The question of Southampton’s academy set-up is a very good one because they have done a fabulous job.
'Why? It is down to the quality of their scouting, the quality of their coaching and education. They have fantastic scouting.'
Wenger and his chief scout Steve Rowley knew they had to have Shaw - tipped to be even better than Bale -as soon as they first saw him.
Arsenal saw a summer offer rejected by Saints chairman Nicola Cortese, who knows the youngster will soon be worth a small fortune. Chelsea, are also keen.
Whether he can resist Arsenal’s advances this month remains to be seen, but what is for certain is that Shaw is an England regular in the making.
Should Shaw arrive at the Emirates Stadium, he will not be short of a friendly face willing to take him under their wing.
Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain both make emotional first returns to the club that gave them their big break on Tuesday.
The elder of the two's impact on the Gunners has been well-documented this season - but his fellow former Saint has had to bide his time.
Previous: Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Arsenal
An exceptional first campaign with Arsenal resulted in him gatecrashing England’s Euro 2012 squad. But only now are we starting to see the form that persuaded Roy Hodgson to take a punt on Oxlade-Chamberlain in the summer.
The 19-year-old was excellent in Saturday’s win over Newcastle, scoring his first Premier League goal of the season in the 7-3 win.
And his return to the form that made him England’s joker in the pack last summer does not surprise his manager, who insists he knew Oxlade-Chamberlain would be a top player the minute he set eyes on him.
‘The first time I watched him was on tape, he was at that level where he played he looked lightning quick and a good dribbler as well and we like that,’ said Wenger.
‘I had enthusiastic reports about him and we sent different people and everybody said he is something special.
‘When I saw him you could see in his movement and first touch that he had something special. ‘
