Saturday 19 September 2015 16:55, UK
Luke Shaw has left hospital in Eindhoven and flown back to England after two operations on his double leg fracture, according to Sky sources.
The 20-year-old underwent surgery for a second time on Friday to close the wound suffered in the first half of the 2-1 Champions League defeat at PSV on Tuesday night and staff at St Anna Ziekenhuis Hospital were happy for the left-back to return to Manchester, where he will continue his recovery at a private hospital.
Shaw posted three photos on his Instagram account on Saturday morning which showed him posing with hospital staff with the message: "I just wanna say a massive thank you to everyone at St Anna hospital for all the care and attention they have given me the last few days. Something I will never forget! Am pleased to be flying back to Manchester today so I can start my journey back onto the football pitch!"
Shaw is expected to be out for up to nine months with the injury following a tackle by PSV defender Hector Moreno, casting severe doubt on his availability for England's Euro 2016 campaign, but at his press conference ahead of United's trip to Southampton this weekend, manager Louis Van Gaal said Shaw is now in better spirits.
"I called him last night; he sounds very strong, which was amazing for me - a big surprise.
"It is a good signal, but he knows he has long way to go and it is not easy. He will have a long period of rehabilitation [when he is back] and he has a long way to go."
Moreno and PSV manager Phillip Cocu visited Shaw in the hospital on Thursday.
"We first asked whether Shaw would meet us, which he wanted to," Cocu told a press conference.
"We offered him the help of PSV should he need anything in relation to his recovery. It has affected him [Moreno], it has affected the others and it has affected me."
Van Gaal said after the Champions League group stage match that Shaw could return in March, but added that the youngster faces a psychological, as well as physical, battle to return to top form.
"It is not only physical but mental," Van Gaal said. "For us it is a big loss, as a team. I said [in pre-season] this will be the season of Luke Shaw but now it is finished nearly.
"He started so well, built up a left wing with [Memphis] Depay and Shaw, but we have to start filling it again and it is not easy."
Shaw endured a difficult start to his United career last year but this term he has been one of the squad's best performers.
However, Van Gaal is hopeful the team has cover in the left-back position and will be able to cope without him.
"We have to cope with it but it is a big loss," he said.
"It is not a problem but Shaw is the line-up player and it is very difficult to replace him when he is in such a good shape.
"In [Daley] Blind, [Marcos] Rojo and [Ashley] Young, we have good replacements."
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