Wilfried Zaha Handed Pre-Season Opportunity to Impress for Manchester United

Wilfried Zaha has taken a giant stride towards being involved in Manchester United's first team this season after being included in the club's squad for the pre-season tour to Asia and Australia.

Zaha has been linked with loan moves back to former club Crystal Palace and West Ham United with questions remaining over his ability to step up from the Championship and play for the Premier League champions.

But manager David Moyes has dropped the strongest hint yet that Zaha will be part of the first team this season by including him in United's pre-season tour which begins this weekend against an Singha All Star XI.

"He will travel with us on the tour," Moyes told talkSPORT.

"He has only been with us for two days but I will take him away, see how he goes and have a look.

"This club has a great record of putting young players in the team. Hopefully Wilfried can be one of them."

Moyes has been quick to realise United's tradition of bringing through young players, a policy he employed with great regularity during his days at Everton and thus will hand Zaha a chance to impress before the season begins.

Zaha was Sir Alex Ferguson's final signing as manager at Old Trafford and despite not being Moyes' choice, former striker Andy Cole is confident the England international will be given a fair chance to stake his claim for a central role in the United first team

"It's down to the new manager," said Cole.

"Obviously, Sir Alex bought him last season and it's up to Zaha to come here and put in a shift in pre-season, give it a good go and David Moyes will make his mind up from there.

"I think it's a good thing that everyone is starting from a clean slate, so to speak, as the new manager is coming in with new ideas and he'll pick the team as he feels fit for going to win the championship week in and week out.

"I think it's a great opportunity for Wilfried and that's why he's come to Manchester United in the first place - to have that opportunity - and no doubt he'll enjoy it."