Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has told new £30m summer signing Luke Shaw that he must improve his fitness, with the former Southampton defender to train on his own away from the squad.

Shaw, 19, completed his big money move to Old Trafford after the 2014 World Cup, and with Patrice Evra having moved to Juventus last week for £1.2m, the England man is set to make the left-back his berth under Van Gaal.

But the former Dutch boss is concerned over the fitness levels of his young defender, sending Shaw to train on his own this week.

“I am always a trainer who sees the individuals and what each player needs,” Van Gaal said (quoted by he Daily Mail),

‘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.”

United open their 2014/15 Premier League campaign against Swansea at home on the 16th August, with the arrival of Van Gaal heralding increased optimism of a sustained assault on the top four.