Manchester United news: Luke Shaw's Euro 2016 hopes all but over, admits Louis van Gaal as he rules out defender
Shaw is set to return to training after suffering a broken leg last September but Van Gaal says he is unlikely to play again this season
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Your support makes all the difference.Luke Shaw looks set to miss Euro 2016 after his Manchester United manager, Louis van Gaal, confirmed that the injured left-back admitted he is unlikely to play again this season despite returning to training next week.
Shaw suffered a double leg fracture in September during United’s Champions League defeat to PSV Eindhoven, but he initially targeted a return to action before the end of the season in a bid to try and feature in Roy Hodgson’s England squad for this summer’s European Championship.
Hodgson has left the door open for injured players such as Shaw and Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere to prove their fitness ahead of the tournament, but while Van Gaal revealed that Shaw will take a significant step towards a comeback on Monday when he returns to training, he is unlikely to play again this season.
“Luke Shaw next week shall start his first training sessions on the pitch,” Van Gaal said in a press conference ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash with Everton. “He has been in the pool, in the gym on the treadmill but now he can train with his body on the pitch, but Luke knows it will be very difficult to play the final of the FA Cup.”
United can still reach the FA Cup final on 21 May if they defeat West Ham in a sixth round replay and Everton in a Wembley final, but Van Gaal’s suggestion that the match will come too soon for Shaw is a desperate blow to his hope of featuring in France, given Hodgson will name his squad on 13 May – much earlier than the 31 May deadline.
While the Three Lions manager has left the door open to a number of players who have struggled with injury this season, it suggests that he will not wait forever to include those that could head to France with doubts over their fitness, and he will instead focus on a 23-man squad that he has full faith in.
Hodgson is also expected to name a standby list – made up of six or seven players – but Shaw is not expected to feature on it if he doesn’t play again this season.
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