Brandon Williams, a former Manchester United left-back and once touted to replace Luke Shaw, remains without a club three months after leaving United. Despite initial promise under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and a positive outlook from former CEO Ed Woodward, Williams struggled to secure a foothold in the first team and had disappointing loan spells at Norwich and Ipswich. He is facing a difficult path to return to professional football, compounded by a trial set for March 2025 over dangerous driving allegations. Meanwhile, Luke Shaw continues to recover from a calf injury and is not expected to play in the upcoming League Cup match against Barnsley, according to manager Erik Ten Hag. Ten Hag confirmed that several other players, including Noussair Mazraoui and Lisandro Martinez, will be available for the match, while others remain sidelined due to injury. The manager emphasized the importance of player rotation as the team navigates a busy schedule.