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Shaw ordered to train alone

Luke Shaw made his Manchester United debut on the US tour, but has been deemed unfit by Louis van Gaal © Getty Images

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Louis van Gaal has ordered new Manchester United signing Luke Shaw to train alone after the Dutch manager decided he wasn't fit enough to perform at the level required.

Van Gaal believes Shaw has returned from England's ill-fated World Cup campaign unfit for Premier League action and the 19-year-old trained alone at Washington Redskins' FedEx Field stadium as United prepare for the third leg of their US tour.

Asked why Shaw had been asked to work alone, Van Gaal said: "I am always a trainer who sees the individuals and what each player needs.

Cleverley captaincy meant nothing

Tom Cleverley captained United against Roma © Getty Images

• Louis van Gaal has admitted that naming Tom Cleverley as captain for the 3-2 win over Roma was simply because he was playing the whole match.
• Van Gaal surprised many by handing the much-maligned midfielder the armband for the second game of the US tour, but the Dutchman insists it means nothing.
• "Cleverley played 90 minutes in the second game so he was captain.
• "Maybe Chris Smalling will be captain tomorrow because he is going to play 90."

"Luke needs to be fit and he's not very fit and can't perform how I want. He needs to be fit and to train individually.

"I can't judge why. I see what I see. I have spoken with him and we have made a programme with him. He has agreed. We will have to see how long it takes. I don't know.

"I have heard good messages from Tony Strudwick the fitness coach."

Fellow England players Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Phil Jones are all considered to be ahead of Shaw in the fitness stakes and worked with the main squad ahead of Tuesday night's game against Inter Milan.

On another of United's youngsters, Wilfried Zaha, Van Gaal said he will look to convert the winger into a more advanced role in order to fit him into the manager's 3-5-2 system.

Van Gaal added: "He will have to play as a striker as he can't play the other positions in the system. Ashley Young can play as a wing-back. Zaha cannot do that so he will be a striker.

"I have spoken with him and I think he can do it. We will see. He will play the second 45 minutes of this game and will play as a striker."

Van Gaal, who believes he has inherited a "broken squad" from David Moyes, also dismissed rumours that Javier Hernandez is off to Inter this summer.

"I don't know anything about that," he said. "You would need to wait for an announcement from us but I can't say anything about that."

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