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Louis van Gaal is chuffed to bits with Luke Shaw – for shedding half a stone during the summer, writes Steve Bates in the Sunday People.

Teenage left-back Shaw was placed on an intensive tailor-made conditioning and fitness regime when the season finished on the orders of his worried Manchester United boss Van Gaal.

And the move has paid off, with Shaw returning for pre-season over three kilos lighter and raring to go for the new campaign.

Van Gaal prevented the 19-year-old from being included by Gareth Southgate in the England squad for last month's Under-21 European Championship finals.

The Dutchman, who claimed the defender was not fit enough when he joined United a year ago, was so worried over Shaw’s repeated injury problems in his first season at Old Trafford he ordered a complete review of the youngster’s training schedule.

(Image: Getty)

And, desperate to protect United’s £27million investment after buying Shaw from Southampton, he asked the sports science and medical experts at United’s Carrington training HQ to design a special programme in order to try to manage the player’s athletic development.

Van Gaal is desperate to maximise Shaw’s potential and avoid a repeat of last season, when the defender made just 16 Premier League appearances.

Manchester United's 2015-16 Premier League fixtures