Inside Man United's unusual pre-season: Why they've abandoned a 'showpiece' tour and the USA is off limits, the Helsinki curtain-raiser involving Wes Brown and five-star luxury Irish hotel

Manchester United have abandoned their traditional high-profile pre-season tour format, with the USA ruled out as a destination this summer. Their pre-season preparations will instead include a curtain-raiser in Helsinki involving club legend Wes Brown and a stay at a five-star luxury hotel in Ireland. This contrasts with last summer's US tour, which concluded with a match against Everton at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.