United hire fitness guru

Manchester United have hired top fitness coach Valter di Salvo to join Alex Ferguson’s Old Trafford backroom team.

The 40-year-old Italian, who worked with returning Red Devils assistant boss Carlos Queiroz at Real Madrid last season, was criticised by David Beckham for the England skipper’s lack of fitness during Euro 2004.

Beckham though appears to be in a minority when assessing di Salvo’s skills.

Di Salvo likes to use high-tech methods to measure fitness and will produce individual computerised programmes for every player.

The newcomer was at United’s Carrington training ground today and completes Ferguson’s coaching team for the new campaign, with Queiroz back alongside the long-serving Scot following his ill-fated year at the Bernabeu.

Meanwhile, Ferguson has confirmed he will provide a team to play in Stan Ternent’s testimonial on August 17.

The United boss revealed during the summer that he had agreed to supply the opposition for the benefit match his old friend was awarded by Burnley when he stood down as manager at Turf Moor at the end of the season.

However, the Red Devils side will be shorn of a number of key players because of international commitments during that week.