Louis van Gaal: Luke Shaw will benefit from England Under-21 squad omission

Louis van Gaal believes Luke Shaw will benefit from a summer of rest after he was left out of the England squad for the European Under-21 Championship.

Young Lions manager Gareth Southgate was expected to name Shaw in his squad, but the Manchester United left-back was not included in a 27-strong party that was announced on Wednesday.

Southgate would not go into detail about the teenager's omission, stating that he had been left out because he was "medically unfit", and Van Gaal suggested Shaw's problems may in part be borne out of his struggle to adapt to the pressures of playing for a club of United's stature.

"It was maybe too fast this step from Southampton to Manchester United and we have to protect that," said Van Gaal, who revealed talks had taken place in March between United and the Football Association over the left-back's fitness.

Shaw has suffered from ankle, groin and hamstring injuries this season and two weeks ago he was carried off with suspected concussion following an accidental elbow to the face from Crystal Palace's James McArthur.

Van Gaal, however, insists Shaw's absence from the tournament in the Czech Republic should not be regarded as a victory for United in a battle between club and country.

"I have read I'm the winner of the debate, but that's not true because the winner is Luke Shaw," van Gaal added.

"He is the winner because we have to develop great talents. Luke Shaw is a great talent.

"The most important thing is that Roy Hodgson, Gareth Southgate and the medical department of Manchester United and the manager of Manchester United are agreed and that we have to protect him and that he can develop that talent.

"Then maybe we can all benefit from that."