Rúben Amorim will have almost his entire squad available as Manchester United gear up for their first pre-season fixture of 2025, against Leeds United.
Manchester United are gearing up for their first pre-season fixture of the summer as they prepare to face Leeds United in Stockholm, Sweden.
After finishing 15th in the Premier League last campaign, the club have prepared for the coming season by facing four English top-flight sides, plus a fixture at Old Trafford against Fiorentina ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
After the Leeds tie, United will fly to the United States to play West Ham, Bournemouth, and Everton as part of the Premier League Summer Series.
United fans will be keeping a keen eye on the Leeds fixture, as it is the first time fans may be able to watch new signings Matheus Cunha and Diego Leon in action.
United’s team news for Leeds tie
United’s last two fixtures came at the end of May, with the club going on a post-season tour across Malaysia and Hong Kong, where the club faced ASEAN All-Stars and Hong Kong.
However, a few of United’s stars missed the trip due to injuries, with one being Joshua Zirkzee. He has been touted to become “amazing” next season, and is set to undergo his first full pre-season of training with the club.
Another who will return is Leny Yoro, who has been hard at work across the off-season with Kobbie Mainoo. Others, such as Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, and Rasmus Højlund, have now rejoined the full training squad.
Earlier this week, multiple other Academy players were also spotted in the first-team training squad. Chido Obi, Shea Lacey, and Bendito Mantato are all notable names, all of whom have also been handed improved squad numbers to reflect their rising progress across the last six months.
The only player set to miss the fixtures over the coming few weeks is Lisandro Martínez, who is still undergoing rehabilitation following a knee injury in February.
All players will be handed a chance in pre-season
As always with the first few games of pre-season, Amorim will be using the fixtures to understand where each player fits in his starting XI for the first game of the season.
United are gearing up to play Arsenal in mid-August to kick off their Premier League season, and Amorim will be grateful for the time he has to spend with his squad.
Many of the players experienced significant teething issues during the first six months of Amorim’s reign at United, and the next five weeks will be used to help the players better understand their roles on the pitch.
However, Amorim is also expected to make numerous changes across the next few games, and fringe players like Lacey and Leon will have the opportunity to prove to both their head coach and the club’s fans that they deserve a chance next season.
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