Manchester United: Jose Mourinho Has Stopped Talking to One of His Star Players

Luke Shaw's future at Manchester United looks increasingly in doubt after it was reported that he is not even on speaking terms with Jose Mourinho.

The 22-year-old defender's last appearance for Manchester United came on Tuesday in the 2-0 win over Swansea City in the EFL Cup, only his second outing of the season.

But both appearances have come in the tournament which is widely regarded as least important in English football, and Shaw has started each game as a substitute—coming off the bench at the Liberty Stadium with just three minutes to play.

Manchester United paid £27 million (about $36 million) for Shaw in 2014, making him the most expensive teenager in the world at the time. But a lack of opportunity has seen Shaw's relationship with his manager deteriorate to the point that the two men are not speaking, according to The Times.

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Mourinho has clearly shown that Shaw is low on the pecking order at Manchester United through his team selections. He is behind Daley Blind, Matteo Darmian and Ashley Young, all of which are not natural left-backs.

The Portuguese coach challenged Shaw during last season, Mourinho's first at Old Trafford, for his lack of effort. In September last year, after being beaten 3-1 by Watford at Vicarage Road, Mourinho singled out Shaw for criticism at his positional awareness for one of the goals.

In April this year, after Shaw made his return against Everton, Mourinho continued to criticize his mental approach. "It was his body with my brain," Mourinho said. "He was in front of me and I was making every decision for him. The communication was possible because we were very close. He cannot play with my brain."

And he has barely played since, which is not only a problem for his club career, but his country too: Shaw maybe unlikely to be picked for next year's World Cup without regular football. Many expect he will look to go out on loan or make a permanent move in January, but his £100,000-a-week wages may put some clubs off.