Man Utd face pre-season tour to China in 2016

Louis van Gaal could be forced to undertake a gruelling pre-season trip to China next summer with Manchester United’s major sponsors increasingly keen to exploit the club’s commercial power in the Far East.

United conclude their summer tour of the United States in the early hours of Thursday morning with an International Champions Cup friendly against Paris Saint-Germain at Soldier Field in Chicago.

But despite Van Gaal declaring United’s pre-season preparations in the States as a success due to the carefully-selected training bases in Seattle and San Jose, the Dutchman is facing the prospect of having to plan a tour of China and neighboring countries next year in order to satisfy the wishes of Chevrolet and Aon, the two American companies who collectively account for over £75m of the club’s annual commercial revenue.

United have toured the States four times in the last six years, but have not embarked on a full tour of the Far East and Asia since visiting Malaysia, South Korea and China in 2009.

A week-long trip to Australia two years ago was extended by visits to Thailand, Japan and Hong Kong, but with United visiting China mainland just once since 2009 – the club made a short visit to Shanghai following a ten-day trip to South Africa in July 2012 – senior figures are now aware of the need to return to the country, which hosted both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich this summer.

Chevrolet, who pay United a world record £53m a year for shirt sponsorship, have made China the focal point of the company’s business plan, with the car manufacturer closing down its European operation to concentrate heavily on the Chinese market.

When the United shirt deal was announced by Chevrolet at the Shanghai motor show in 2012, page impressions on the company’s website exceeded one billion in the space of a fortnight – more than similar initiatives linked to Chevrolet’s marketing campaign surrounding the Super Bowl.

Aon have enjoyed a similar uplift in brand recognition in India and the Far East since beginning their relationship with United in 2009 and there is an acceptance within the club that both major sponsors would prefer the team to tour the Far East, particularly China, in order to capitalise on their investment by using United’s popularity to grow their brands.