Friday, July 13, 2012

United's new signings primed for tour

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The Reds' new faces will get a proper taste of life at Manchester United during the club's tour this summer.

Close-season acquisitions Shinji Kagawa and Nick Powell will integrate with their new teammates and several promising youngsters will also form part of the squad as fans in South Africa, China and Scandinavia get the opportunity to demonstrate the worldwide appeal of the 19-time champions.

Sir Alex Ferguson has suggested he is close to finalising his plans for the squad in preparation for the new campaign with Durban the first stop on the global tour.

"It’ll be important for Shinji Kagawa, who will be coming on his first tour with us," the boss told MUTV. "He’ll get to know players like Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick and Rio Ferdinand – the experienced players in the camp. It’ll be important for the boy to get settled in.

"The issue is getting to know the players and getting to mix them. They’ll eat together for nearly two weeks and it’s an important time. Shinji doesn’t speak English so he’ll have his interpreter with him and hopefully, by the time he comes back, he’ll speak good Scottish!

"Of course, we have Nick Powell as well who is 18 so it’ll be a great step up for the boy. We’ll take a few of the young players too - potentially including the likes of Tyler Blackett, Larnell Cole, Jesse Lingard and Michael Keane.

"[Michael Keane's brother] Will has, of course, got a bad injury and will be out for almost a year which is a blow for the boy.

"But we’ll take a good collection of the young players who are emerging through the ranks," Ferguson told ManUtd.com.

Blackett signed a professional contract this week after becoming a permanent fixture in the Academy side last season, playing either at left-back or the centre of defence. Cole and Lingard were key performers for Warren Joyce's successful Reserves side in wide midfield roles and were both shortlisted for the Player of the Year prize at that level.

Michael Keane is currently with the England Under-19 squad in Estonia, competing in the European Championship, but could be available later in the month. The centre-back has made startling progress at the club and made his first-team debut at Aldershot in last year's Carling

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