Manchester United have had to devise a special training programme to get Luke Shaw in shape for the start of the season.

Shaw had a fortnight off after the World Cup and he has arrived at United unfit, according to Louis van Gaal, who wants to see an improvement from the 19-year-old in the coming weeks.

Shaw, a £27 million signing from Southampton, trained alone at the FedEx Field ahead of United's friendly against Inter Milan.

Danny Welbeck, Wayne Rooney, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling, who all returned from World Cup duty on the same day as Shaw, were deemed fit enough to train with the squad.

But there are concerns that Shaw is off the pace.

"He needs to be fit and he is not very fit," the United boss said.

"Therefore he cannot perform what I want so first he has to be fit and has to train individually.

"I have spoken with him and we have made the programme. He agreed with me.

"We will have to see how long it takes (for him to get fit)."

Van Gaal is well within his rights to demand Shaw be fit for the season-opener against Swansea having shelled out such a big fee for the teenager.

Having sold Alexander Buttner to Dynamo Moscow, Van Gaal has little cover for the England international, so he has had to rely on Ashley Young, Reece James and Tyler Blackett while on tour in the USA.

"The player could have stayed in America but I think the treatment at the Aon training complex is much better.
"This way he can also work out his jet lag much earlier.
"Rafa agreed with me that he should go back. He is there already and he's started training."