Manchester United To Tour China As Part of Pre-Season

Preparations for the Premier League are set to start in China for Manchester United after the club announced a pre-season tour in July. With Manchester United players currently away on international duty this summer, United's preparations will begin in July and the red devils will start their first pre-season friendly against Shanghai Shenhua. The club announced the fixture on Thursday along with their new Chevrolet sponsorship deal. The match will be mostly about United gearing up for the upcoming season, although with the Chevrolet China Cup up for grabs for the winner, Sir Alex Ferguson will be keen to boost the moral of his players. United last played in China three years ago, and Manchester United€™s chief executive, David Gill told the clubs press department the importance of the Asian fan base:

€œOur pre-season tour is an important process for the club as it allows us to prepare for the season ahead, as well as engage with our fans and partners in different markets. We had a fantastic amount support from our fans last time we played a pre-season game in China.€

United will face strong competition from the side with former Chelsea player Nicolas Anelka, who will no doubt take part in the friendly. With 26-year-old Luka Modric and Dortmund€™s Shinji Kagawa both potential signings for the club this may be the first time that United fans will see any new signings that the club finalise before the game.