New signing Lindelof set for a flying start to life at United
VICTOR Lindelof will have just one induction day at the Reds’ Carrington training complex before jetting off to America for the club’s pre-season tour.
The United senior squad report back to duty on Saturday, and fly out to LA on Sunday.
It will be 45 days since the Reds beat Ajax 2-0 in the Friends Arena in Stockholm to end their marathon season on a high with the Europa League trophy.
Mourinho’s backroom and medical staff will oversee fitness assessments and checks of the entire squad in readiness for the new campaign, which begins on the weekend of August 12 at Old Trafford against West Ham.
United’s warm-up programme in the States begins with an opening match on July 15 against LA Galaxy in the StubHub Center in Carson, California.
Before that, United’s training will be at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) campus where they will spend five days before the opener.
The Reds’ pre-season tour Stateside takes in matches against Real Salt Lake in Utah two days after the Galaxy clash. The first derby on foreign soil against Pep Guardiola’s City will be in Houston on July 20.
After Texas it is a showdown with Real Madrid in Santa Clara before United end the USA leg of the preparation games against Barcelona in Maryland.
Defender Lindelof is so far Mourinho’s only new face after being bought from Benfica for £30m, but executive vice chairman Ed Woodward could be busy ahead of the tour as the summer window has now officially opened. THE term used to describe the profile of midfielder Jose Mourinho wanted to sign last year was ‘captain.’ The Reds boss had spent five months monitoring United lurch from one crisis to another and was struck by how rudderless the team appeared without Wayne Rooney.
Rooney’s captaincy credentials were so strong he travelled to the March derby while injured to deliver a motivational speech to his teammates. It reflected well on the striker, but not on his manager or adopted Mancunian Ryan Giggs. Rooney had offered a similar lecture a year earlier.
Mourinho took just five Premier League matches to decide Rooney should no longer be considered an automatic starter at United and, rather than draw attention to the topic of his successor, the armband was strapped to the longest-serving player, with few exceptions.
Chris Smalling skippered United on the day of Rooney’s demotion ahead of Antonio Valencia, who joined United a year earlier. Valencia led United out against Celta Vigo in their Europa League semi-finals and final versus Ajax. Juan Mata had a go but Paul Pogba, the ‘captain’ in the middle, never received official recognition and neither did Ander Herrera.
Marouane Fellaini and Ashley Young did.
Herrera would be the supporters’ choice and he is one of a handful of overseas United players who have embraced the club’s history and tradition. Ruud van Nistelrooy, a member of that elite pantheon, also joined United a year after a transfer collapsed and was adored by the team’s following.
Months before Mourinho was appointed, Herrera spoke effusively about his management and he was an obvious player who would benefit from the managerial handover.
Untrusted and sometimes unloved by Van Gaal, Herrera became Mourinho’s on-pitch lieutenant last season. A student, Petter Skogsletten, was present for the Leadership and Communication lecture Mourinho attended last month and recounted how Herrera disobeyed him in the Europa League final. “Mourinho talked a lot about Herrera, saying he is one of the smartest players he has had during his career,” he said. “Herrera took hold of Mkhitaryan and sent him in front of the keeper, while Herrera would take the pitch outside the box. Mourinho said he was so frustrated that he said ‘What the hell is going on?’ “It turned out Herrera had taken responsibility of the situation. Mkhitaryan had a yellow card. If Ajax suddenly counter-attacked and Mkhitaryan had fouled the player, he would have been sent off. “Mourinho said he is incredibly pleased to have such players who can handle situations on their own and adjust.” Pogba, three-and-a-half years Herrera’s junior, is not at that level yet. Samuel Luckhurst