Man United’s senior squad will reportedly be put through their paces once they report back for pre-season training.
That’s according to a recent report from The Sun, who claims Erik Ten Hag is planning a ‘spirit-breaking’ SAS-style training schedule as he prepares for an important campaign that will include Champions League football.
The Dutchman has reportedly requested that the club’s Carrington training facility is ready in time for the first week of July ahead of the team’s first pre-season friendly, which is scheduled to be against bitter-rivals Leeds United on 12 July.
And with another six friendly fixtures set to take place between July and the start of the Premier League season on 11 August, including fixtures against Arsenal and Real Madrid, Ten Hag is eager to get his United squad up and running (literally) as quickly as possible.
The former Ajax manager, who will likely return to his day-to-day duties before his players, is understood to be preparing four days of double training sessions. Strict fitness tests are booked to take place on 3 July with an SAS-style training camp set to follow.
The Sun claim to have spoken to a source in the know who said: “Last summer Erik had players doing press-ups and other fitness forfeits to try and build spirit. This time it sounds like some might actually have their spirits broken!”
United’s first competitive game of the 2023-24 season will be against Wolverhampton Wanderers on 14 August. The Premier League game, which will be played at Old Trafford, is scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. (UK time).