England have not ruled out naming Manchester United’s Luke Shaw in their squad for next month’s European Under 21 Championship even though club boss Louis van Gaal insists that his full back should be rested.

In a conflict of interest between the national team and the biggest club in the country that harks back to the days of Sir Alex Ferguson, the FA and Under 21s manager Gareth Southgate have been shocked by Van Gaal going public on the need for Shaw to miss the tournament, having previously stated it would be good experience for the 19-year-old defender.

There will now be discussions between the FA and United’s medical department before Wednesday’s squad is announced. Southgate will also speak privately to the United boss, but the FA may be prepared to defy Van Gaal if it is thought there is no obvious injury risk to Shaw and that the player is happy to go.

Luke Shaw has not completed a full 90 minutes in consecutive matches for United since November

Shaw suffered injury against Crystal Palace and left the pitch on a stretcher

Van Gaal shakes hands with Shaw during United's pre-season tour of America

He will miss the match against Arsenal after a facial injury against Crystal Palace that Van Gaal described as ‘concussion’ but that would not in itself rule him out of the European Championship which start on June 17.

Yet Van Gaal insists Shaw still should not go. ‘When you have spent a lot of time injured, you are at the limit,’ he said.

Shaw, who was signed from Southampton for £27 million, has played just 20 times due to injuries and has not completed 90 minutes in consecutive matches since November.

Although that is a concern to Southgate, he will want to hear if player himself feels he is able to take part.

While Southgate has ruled out taking established internationals Raheem Sterling, Jack Wilshere, Phil Jones and Ross Barkley, he seems keen to take Shaw and Tottenham’s Harry Kane. Although Shaw was a member of Roy Hodgson’s senior squad at the World Cup, he played for the Under-21s in their play-off win against Croatia which took them to the finals.

Shaw appeared in the World Cup for England against Costa Rica to cap a meteoric rise for the left back

Shaw was previously a fixture in the Under 21s, but missed the 2013 instalment due to injury

Shaw will miss United's game against Arsenal - his latest absence during an injury-laden first season

Defiant Van Gaal continued his insistence that Shaw should be protected. ‘He is 19 and has come from a minor club to the biggest club in the world with a lot of physical load, but also a mental load,’ said the United manager.

‘There is a big difference between him and a player like Wayne Rooney who is 29, has built up his strengths and is old enough to decide. Luke had concussion. He won’t play for United for our last two matches. And when you can’t play for Manchester, you can’t play for other teams either.’

That is a major U-turn for the United manager who said in October: ‘The Under 21s European Championship is a very good education. I think all players want to play and for me as a trainer-coach of a club, I am very happy that Shaw is playing with the Under-21s.’