David De Gea told to play against Barcelona and prepare for new season with Man United

LOUIS VAN GAAL has told David De Gea he must face Barcelona on Saturday because he wants him fit, focused and sharp for the new season.

Real Madrid-target De Gea has missed the first two games of United's US pre-season tour with a mystery back injury, although it is understood nothing showed up when he was sent for a scan at a San Jose hospital.

That raised inevitable and unfounded suspicions that the Spanish goalkeeper was not in the right frame of mind to play following United's refusal to sanction a move to Real unless Sergio Ramos came the other way.

But with only two pre-season games left, Van Gaal wants De Gea to face Champions League winners Barca in Santa Clara, then Paris Saint-Germain in Chicago next Wednesday, to ensure he is ready for the Premier League opener with Tottenham on August 8.

United have no further friendlies when they return home because Van Gaal told the club's hierarchy he did not want any in the week before the season starts.

Significantly, Van Gaal, who hates fielding 'under-cooked' players, ordered De Gea to take part in the warm-up before Tuesday night's game against San Jose even though he was not going to play.

"I have good hope he can play against Barcelona," said Van Gaal. "He was injured and couldn't play against San Jose so I said, 'go stand in the goal so we have a point of direction for my attackers, but don't do anything to risk your injury'.

"That is because we have to build him up [for the new season]. I think he can play [against Barcelona] and I hope he can."