Ruben Amorim is expected to use this pre-season to set his tactical systems ahead of a campaign where United will face immense scrutiny
Manchester United began pre-season activities on Monday, with new signings Matheus Cunha and Diego Leon among the early arrivals at Carrington.
But club captain Bruno Fernandes and right-back Diogo Dalot have been granted compassionate leave following the death of Portugal teammate Diogo Jota.
The return to training marks the first extended opportunity for head coach Ruben Amorim to work with his squad without the burden of mid-season fixture congestion.
Amorim arrived in November under difficult circumstances and was forced to implement structural changes on the fly last season as United spiralled to a 15th-place Premier League finish, their worst since 1989-90.
With the slate now clean, the Portuguese manager is expected to use this pre-season to set his tactical systems ahead of a 2025-26 campaign where United will face immense scrutiny.
Cunha joined United from Wolves this summer in a deal worth £62.5m and has been handed the club’s iconic No 10 shirt, a sign of Amorim’s belief in the Brazilian’s potential as a central figure in attack.
Leon, an 18-year-old left wing-back from Cerro Porteno in Paraguay, had a pre-contract signed in January but has now officially joined the club after turning 18 in April. He is expected to initially work with the U21s but will train with the senior group throughout pre-season.
The youngster has said that he wants to “kill it in pre-season” and start playing for the first team “within one or two games”.
The absences of Fernandes and Dalot were both expected. United granted both players time away from club duties to attend the funeral of Diogo Jota, who tragically passed away last week.
United’s first fixture of the summer is a friendly against Leeds United in Stockholm on 15 July, just under two weeks away, before they travel to the United States for three matches as part of the Premier League Summer Series.
Manchester United Pre-Season Schedule 2025: Fixtures, Venues and What to Expect
Manchester United will begin their 2025-26 pre-season under new head coach Ruben Amorim with a five-match schedule spanning Sweden, the United States, and a final home fixture at Old Trafford.
