Leeds United’s first pre-season opponents will return early from their break after a dismal 2024/25 Premier League campaign.
Manchester United have confirmed an early return for pre-season as they prepare to face Leeds United in their first friendly next month.
Manchester United’s final league game was on May 25 and they followed up with a post-season tour of Asia, playing their final game in Kong Kong on May 30. But despite a much later finish and not yet one full month off, Ruben Amorim’s side will return around the same time as Leeds with confirmation their pre-season will start during the week commencing July 7.
A miserable 2024/25 campaign saw Manchester United finish 15th on 42 points, with Amorim evidently keen to get a full summer of work under his belt, having initially taken the job in November last year. The Portuguese coach is also expected to welcome a raft of new signings alongside £62.5m arrival Matheus Cunha, with an early return allowing them to bed in before facing Leeds in Stockholm.
Man Utd confirm early pre-season return ahead of Leeds United friendly
A statement from Manchester United read: “With the squad making the most of the chance to recharge their batteries, anticipation is already building, following last week's release of the Premier League fixture list. United start with a blockbuster clash against Arsenal and will want to hit the ground running, after a disappointing performance last term. The hard work begins throughout the week commencing Monday 7 July.
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“With the £50 million Carrington revamp approaching its final stages, the training facility will provide a world-class base to help cultivate the right environment, in order to generate future success. The first pre-season fixture on the horizon is the meeting with Leeds United in Stockholm, on 19 July, with the players set to get back into the groove ahead of the squad being announced for the flight to Sweden.”
The early return means Manchester United will have just short of two weeks to undergo pre-season testing and begin preparations for their meeting with Leeds. Likewise, Farke will have a decent amount of time to welcome his players, old and new, to Thorp Arch before jetting off to Sweden for friendly number one.
Leeds then have a fortnight until their second major friendly, with Spanish outfit Villarreal the visitors to Elland Road on Saturday, August 2. The following weekend, Farke’s side head to Dublin for their final pre-season warm-up game against AC Milan, just over one week before their 2025/26 Premier League campaign kicks off at home to Everton on Monday, August 18.
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