United players return to training

EIGHTEEN senior United players are due to return to the club’s Carrington training complex for pre-season today.

The Reds fly out to the United States for their pre-season tour on Sunday.

Sergio Romero, who missed Argentina’s World Cup campaign through injury, is expected to report along with fellow goalkeeper Joel Pereira. New signings Lee Grant and Diogo Dalot will be introduced to their new team-mates.

Central defender Eric Bailly returned to Manchester last week and England internationals Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw are also free to train after they were overlooked for the World Cup.

Daley Blind and Matteo Darmian’s nations failed to qualify for Russia and are due in at Carrington amid uncertainty over their United futures.

Antonio Valencia could skipper the Reds on tour while Axel Tuanzebe, Timothy FosuMensah and Andreas Pereira are back from loan spells.

Scott McTominay and Ander Herrera are the only recognised central midfielders, while Juan Mata and Alexis Sanchez should also check into United’s training quarters.

Anthony Martial will come face-to-face with Jose Mourinho for the first time since his agent revealed he wanted to leave Old Trafford.

Nemanja Matic, Marcos Rojo, David de Gea, Ashley Young, Phil Jones, Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford, Fred, Victor Lindelof, Marouane Fellaini, Romelu Lukaku and Paul Pogba are not due to link up with United until later on due to their World Cup participation.

Players usually earn a minimum threeweek break following international tournaments, so it is possible Matic, Rojo and De Gea could link up with the Reds during their five-match tour across the Atlantic.

M.E.N. Sport reported earlier this week that youngsters James Garner, Mason Greenwood, Tahith Chong, Angel Gomes, RoShaun Williams and Ethan Hamilton are likely to be included in the tour party.

Mourinho took 27 players to the States last year but Shaw, Young and Rojo were sidelined through injury. United are scheduled to train at the UCLA campus.