MANCHESTER UNITED TOUR DIARY: Erik ten Hag’s men have arrived in Los Angeles with the Dutchman eager to reward fans for their patience after a tough season
Erik ten Hag is mindful of the effort Manchester United fans go to when it comes to following the team and instructed his players to sign autographs for the scores of supporters who were waiting for them at UCLA before their morning training session on Friday.
The upshot was that United’s session began later than planned, which meant Ten Hag’s press conference for Saturday’s friendly with Arsenal was pushed back by half-an-hour.
But the Dutchman was adamant his players should reward the fans for their loyalty and patience, by signing as many autographs as possible and posing for pictures.
United midfield star Kobbie Mainoo is enjoying a well-earned extended break following his exploits for England at Euro 2024, where he became an automatic starter for Gareth Southgte’s side.
Mainoo flew to Los Angeles for part of his break, posting pictures of his holiday on his official Instagram account, but has so far not met up with his United team-mates.
United’s new signing, Joshua Zirkzee, is also in LA on holiday, after representing Holland at the Euros, but has also not met up with his new team-mates yet.
During their training camp at UCLA, United’s players have been undertaking fitness work at Drake Stadium on the campus, which boasts an outside gym, while their training sessions are taking place at the Wallis Annenberg Stadium.
On Friday, Erik ten Hag and his newly-assembled coaching staff put the 29-man squad through a demanding double session, both of them taking part in front of hundreds of United fans, including Manchester-born Lord of the Rings star Dominic Monaghan.
While Ten Hag and his coaching staff put the squad through their paces in 28C heat in training on Friday, four players – Harry Maguire, Jonny Evans, new signing Leny Yoro and third-choice goalkeeper Tom Heaton – sat out the afternoon session, with the understanding their omission was down to managing their individual workloads, rather than any significant fitness or injury issues.
United’s players were given the afternoon off on Thursday, following the first training session of their US tour at the University of California Los Angeles.
A quartet of senior players – Jonny Evans, Harry Maguire, Tom Heaton and Scott McTominay – took the chance to explore Beverly Hills and the famed shopping strip on Rodeo Drive.
Younger members of United’s squad visited a coffee shop close to the team hotel, with the quiet local of their base affording them relative anonymity that they would not have in the Far East, where hundreds of fans are permanently camped outside their base whenever they tour there.
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