Sir Alex tells Red stars they have to beat the best
SIR Alex Ferguson has told United’s current crop to ‘accept the challenge of beating the best’ ahead of a pivotal summer for Jose Mourinho.
United manager Mourinho is expected to mount a genuine title challenge in his second season at Old Trafford and make a mark in the Champions League.
He has tasked executive vice chairman Ed Woodward with the responisibility of securing four key targets to transform his squad, with £30.7m Victor Lindelof his first signing of the summer.
And United’s preparations for the new campaign include an intense pre-season when they will face Real Madrid twice, as well as Manchester City and Barcelona.
Mourinho will be able to gauge his side’s development on the club’s tour to the US, which sees them play Real, Barca and City in the International Champions Cup.
They take on Champions League winners Real for a second time when they meet in the European Super Cup on August 8.
Mourinho is aiming to become the first United manager since Ferguson to deliver the title to Old Trafford after securing the EFL Cup and Europa League in his debut campaign.
Ferguson believes the pre-season tests will serve as fitting preparations for that title tilt.
“The great thing about United is you’ve got to accept the challenge of beating the best,” he told ManUtd. com.
“The expectation is always there and the matches we’ll face in the ICC are all big ones.
“It’s very good for the younger players to come into this type of competition in terms of preparing to be a Manchester United player.
“The more intense the challenge they can get, the better prepared they will be when facing Manchester City in an important league match or Real Madrid or Barcelona in Europe.
“The preparation to play in games as big as that can be started in pre-season tournaments like the ICC, which is fantastic.”