Manchester United Head coach, Louis van Gaal, confirms the final recovery of English playmaker and captain, Wayne Rooney. Wayne Rooney has been out for weeks now due to a knee injury. The Red Devils striker might not play against Tottenham (that would make his 12th miss for the team).

However, the coach confirmed that his captain has stepped up his recovery from the injury that has kept him out for two months now.  The skipper joined the first team in training this week but would not play with the team in the league just yet.

The striker is billed to play on Monday in Old Trafford when Manchester United’s Under-21 team take on Middleborough U-21.

On Rooney playing, LVG said: “No (he won’t play at Tottenham), he’s playing for the Under-21s. It’s going very well. He has trained with us two times – only two times so it’s not too much. He has to build up his capacity in the 21s team.”

If Rooney impresses during the game, he could return to first team action when the team takes on West Ham on Wednesday in an FA Cup quarter-final replay. LVG hinted he prefers he [Rooney] gains more fitness before playing first team action, say against embattled Aston Villa on April 16.

“It makes my job easier because I can select better, but it makes the time for my players a little bit more difficult. There was a time when I could select only the fit players and now with all the youngsters, who have proved that they are capable to play, and with all the players coming back, now I have to select. I have a bigger squad so I have said to my players you have to help your colleagues when they are not selected,” LVG added.