Victor Lindelof of Manchester United in action with Jamie Vardy of Leicester City FC during the Premier League match between Leicester City FC and Manchester United FC at The King Power Stadium on March 16, 2025 in Leicester, England.Victor Lindelof of Manchester United in action with Jamie Vardy of Leicester City FC during the Premier League match between Leicester City FC and Manchester United FC at The King Power Stadium on March 16, 2025 in Leicester, England.
Victor Lindelof of Manchester United in action with Jamie Vardy of Leicester City FC during the Premier League match between Leicester City FC and Manchester United FC at The King Power Stadium on March 16, 2025 in Leicester, England. | Manchester United via Getty Imag
Manchester United have announced a pre-season friendly with Leeds United in Sweden
Manchester United have announced a pre-season friendly with old rivals Leeds United for Saturday, July 19 in Stockholm Sweden. The Red Devils will conclude their 2024-25 season against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on May 25.
They will hope to be involved in the Europa League final on May 21 as attention will soon swing to the 2025-26 campaign. United will be involved in the Premier League Summer Series throughout July and August where they will play West Ham United, Bournemouth and Everton across three different states.
United last played Leeds in a pre-season friendly in the summer of 2023. That game was also played in Scandinavia but in Norway’s capital of Oslo. The Red Devils won the game 2-0. Their next friendly with the Whites will be played at the Strawberry Arena in Stockholm - where the Red Devils won the 2017 Europa League.
Lindelof to miss homecoming game
Red Devils defender Victor Lindelof is the only Swedish international currently in the United senior squad but is set to miss the homecoming game as he is one of several first-team members poised to leave Old Trafford this summer. His contract expires at the end of June, and is not set to be renewed by the club.
Lindelof joined United in the summer after their Europa League win over Ajax in 2017. A report from BBC Sport earlier this month claimed that his former club Benfica are eyeing a free transfer for him this summer, with the expectation he will not have his deal extended. United put a one-year extension option in the club’s favour into the majority of their contracts. Lindelof’s 12-month option was exercised last season, meaning a new deal would need to be agreed for him to remain.
Lindelof isn’t the only United player set for an exit this summer, with Christian Eriksen, Casemiro and even academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo among the players who could depart. Eriksen’s departure is more concrete than the others as he is also out of contract this summer.
United’s recent record against Leeds
Outside of friendly games, United have played Leeds just six times since 2012. The Elland Road outfit were relegated from the Premier League back in 2004 before returning to he top flight after 16 years. They have been out of the Premier League for the last two seasons but are battling for automatic promotion. They sit top of the Championship with eight games remaining, level on points with Sheffield United and just two ahead of Burnley in a close battle for the top two spots.
The rivals met twice in cup competitions between 2004 and 2020, with Leeds winning at Old Trafford in the FA Cup as a League One side in 2010 while the Red Devils won a League Cup clash 3-0 at Elland Road in 2011.
In the six most recent Premier League meetings, Leeds managed just two draws while losing the other four. The Red Devils picked up 6-2 and 5-1 wins at Old Trafford while winning 4-2 and 2-0 at Elland Road.