Tuesday 28 April 2015 23:35, UK
Manchester United have confirmed they will face Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Club America and San Jose Earthquakes on a pre-season tour of the US this summer.
Louis van Gaal is set to begin preparations for his second season in charge at Old Trafford by facing Mexican club Club America in Seattle before facing George Best's former club San Jose and European giants Barcelona and PSG.
Van Gaal made public his disapproval at a pre-season schedule last year - agreed by his predecessor David Moyes - that included a five-game tour of the States and, according to the Dutchman, unfavourable travel distances and kick-off times.
This time around, though, the 63-year-old has a more manageable itinerary as he seeks to improve on a maiden campaign that sees United lying in fourth place with four games to play.
Manchester United group managing director, Richard Arnold said: "Manchester United has a great history of visiting these US cities, creating memorable experiences for players and fans that date back as far as the 1950s. Tour 2015, presented by Aon, will allow the team to train at some of the best facilities in the world and play in front of thousands of passionate US supporters at first-class stadiums.
"After this month’s Manchester derby broke records to become the most-watched Premier League match in US cable television history, the club is excited to be returning to the United States at a time when the appetite for football is greater than ever."
Aon president and chief executive officer, Greg Case, added: "We are very excited that Manchester United is returning to the United States this summer, as it is a great opportunity to showcase our shared values of teamwork and the pursuit of excellence in one of our largest markets."
This year’s International Champions Cup will be decided via a league format with each team playing four matches.
