Manchester United’s proposed China tour may upset Louis van Gaal

  

United consider 2016 pre-season tour to Far East
• Van Gaal streamlined US version after 2014 trek

Manchester United are considering going to China on next summer’s tour, with two of the club’s major sponsors, Chevrolet and Aon, keen to boost their profiles in the country. Although nothing is decided, Louis van Gaal may be resistant to the lengthy travel and differing time zones the trip would entail.

During the manager’s first pre-season tour of the US 12 months ago the Dutchman was strident in objecting to the logistics of a trip that took in five matches in five states across the country.

This summer Van Gaal limited the travel to two internal flights, from Seattle to San Jose and from the latter to Chicago. The manager set up two training camps, in Seattle and San Jose, each lasting a week. Van Gaal insisted that United fly into Chicago for Thursday night’s final match, against Paris Saint-Germain, on Tuesday evening and head back to the UK after it.

The number of commercial engagements dropped markedly from the 184 of the previous trip to this year’s 71, though this was partly due to the new Adidas kit deal not requiring any exposure as it does not start until 1 August.

Last year Chevrolet signed a shirt sponsorship contract with United worth £53m a season until 2021. In 2013 Aon agreed to pay the club £180m over eight years for the naming rights to the Carrington base – it being rebranded as the Aon Training Complex – and United’s training apparel. The new Adidas deal is worth a world record £750m over the next 10 years.

So, despite United insisting football matters are always the prime concern regarding any aspect of club strategy, commercial imperatives are a major factor that have to be considered. Van Gaal understands this though, given the pressure he is under to win trophies, he will be keen to have next year’s tour as low-key and player-friendly as is practical.

Van Gaal spoke of how the trip has been better suited to preparation for the new campaign. “We have already changed a lot of things in relation to this tour. The last tour, we were on the other coast with more heat and humidity and that was a negative,” he said, of the final match against Liverpool in Miami. “It is also hot here, but people say it is not normal. We only have two base camps, last year we had to fly and fly with different schedules and time zones each time.

“We have better training camps this year. We had fantastic facilities in Seattle, they were superb, and also at Avaya Stadium and Stanford University. Overall, we have a better training camp, but we also won every game last year and it doesn’t say anything. All that matters is the [season’s opening] game against Tottenham Hotspur.”

In last August’s season opener United were defeated 2-1 by Swansea City to leave confidence “smashed”, Van Gaal admitted. He is intent the players focus on the visit of Spurs on Saturday-week for this term’s first match to ensure this does not occur again.

Everton reject Chelsea’s £26m as Manchester United target John Stones

Old Trafford club tell intermediaries defender would be welcome at United 
• Everton will not sell for less than £30m; Chelsea’s second offer rejected

Chelsea have had a second offer of £26m for John Stones turned down by Everton while Manchester United have also made known their interest in the defender. United have contacted intermediaries working on Stones’s behalf to make him aware that they would welcome him at Old Trafford but they have not yet made a formal approach to Everton and it is Chelsea who are at the front of the queue for his signature.

José Mourinho sees the 21-year-old as a potential long-term successor to John Terry and, although the Chelsea captain remains integral to the club’s starting XI, there is an acknowledgment at Stamford Bridge that now is the time to test Everton’s resolve. Were Chelsea to wait for another season, Stones’s price would surely rise.

As it is, Everton will refuse to sell him for less than £30m, which would represent quite a mark-up – they signed him for £3m from Barnsley in January 2013.Everton rejected Chelsea’s opening bid of £20m last week and they gave short shrift to Tuesday’s follow-up.

Chelsea’s pursuit of the player and how Mourinho was happy to talk about it last week during the club’s tour of the United States have annoyed Roberto Martínez; the Everton manager wants to buy a centre-half not sell one, having released Sylvain Distin. Martínez has said he is under no pressure to sell players, though Tottenham Hotspur are considering an offer for the midfielder James McCarthy.

Stones has four years to run on his contract and has said in public that he is happy at the club. Chelsea and United, however, could offer him Champions League football.

Stones, who has four England caps, would be considered as homegrown in terms of the Premier League and Champions League, which would be a boon to Chelsea and add to their options. He would also provide cover at right-back for Branislav Ivanovic.

Mourinho, who has been relatively quiet so far this summer in terms of senior additions, having signed only Radamel Falcao on loan and Asmir Begovic, recognises that the market for young, English talent remains inflated. The Chelsea manager said last week: “It is the market and you only pay it if you want it. If you don’t want to pay it, don’t pay. It’s as simple as that. The market has no rules or limits from season to season.”