Manchester United star Luke Shaw is back in Jose Mourinho’s good books after smashing the club’s pre-season fitness tests this week, Metro.co.uk understands. The 23-year-old made just eight Premier League starts last season and was heavily criticised by Mourinho after he was hooked at half-time in an FA Cup clash against Brighton. Mourinho suggested Shaw wasn’t fit enough to be ‘aggressive’ with his positioning and the defender has been heavily linked with a move away given there’s just 12 months left on his contract. However, Metro.co.uk understands Shaw has astounded staff at United’s training ground this week by returning with a new slender look and was at the top of the charts after customary pre-season fitness checks.
Shaw was mocked in June when a number of unflattering photos emerged of him with his top off on holiday in Ibiza. However, the defender cut short his holiday to embark on a fitness camp with United’s head of fitness and conditioning Gary Walker in Dubai. And it looks as though his sacrifice has paid dividends during double sessions at United’s training ground this week with Shaw performing admirably in shuttle runs and endurance drills.haw was stuck behind Ashley Young in the pecking order last season but the 33-year-old is set to miss the start of the season after England’s involvement in the latter stages of the World Cup. That could provide Shaw with a lifeline to make the position his own and Mourinho is expected to start the former Souhtampton man against Club America on Friday in the club’s first pre-season match.