Shaw's Training Return Pleases Van Gaal

Louis van Gaal has admitted that everybody at Manchester United is happy for Luke Shaw after the left-back returned to training with a physiotherapist on Monday.

The England international made an impressive start to the season but sadly suffered a double leg fracture during the UEFA Champions League match at PSV Eindhoven back in September.

Shaw has been working hard on his recovery ever since and on Monday fans were delighted to learn he had returned to outdoor training, as Juan Mata confirmed with a post on Instagram.

Van Gaal is understandably pleased but expressed a note of caution on Friday afternoon, telling MUTV that the 20-year-old must adapt to playing on grass again before he can return to the squad.

“He is not in the team, he is training on the pitch and on the grass,” the manager explained. “He has to adapt his muscles and legs to the pitch, and that is the difference. It is fantastic that he is coming back but he is training individually with a physio, to adapt to the ground of the pitch.

“That is the first step. Everybody is very happy for him because it is a very long rehabilitation. It is now more than seven months I believe. We are very happy for him and he is very close now.”

Elsewhere on the injury front, van Gaal has provided a positive update on Wayne Rooney, Phil Jones and Ashley Young, saying the trio have all taken part in training and are closer to making their own first-team returns. However, Rooney won't feature in Sunday's match at Tottenham Hotspur and will instead play in the Under-21s' match at Old Trafford against Middlesbrough on Monday night.