Louis Van Gaal believes Luke Shaw will recover from a difficult first season at Old Trafford to establish himself as a regular for Manchester United.
The 20-year-old struggled to replicate the form he had shown at Southampton two seasons ago and managed to play in only 20 of United’s 44 games in their first campaign under Van Gaal, who criticised the England international’s lack of match fitness at the start of last season.
A catalogue of injuries then saw Shaw completed the full 90 minutes just eight times, with Daley Blind successfully deputising for him at left-back.
However, the former Southampton man has looked sharp in pre-season and looks to have regained his manager’s trust, with Van Gaal stating he expects the England international to impress in his second campaign at United.
“Luke Shaw is a big talent,” said the United manager.
“He’s very young so it’s not so easy for him to come from Southampton to as big a club as Manchester United.
“He has the benefit that he’s an Englishman. Memphis Depay is a Dutchman and it’s a different culture, a different rhythm to the game.
While Van Gaal made clear he trusts Shaw, he insisted the United defender needed to rediscover some self-confidence.
“So I think that it shall be the season of Luke Shaw, that I believe,” he said.
“I believe in him and he has to feel that, and I hope he shall show it.
“But he’s only 20 years old. How many players of that age are playing in the Premier League?”
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