The Manchester United travel roster has been set for the club’s postseason tour of Asia, an endeavor that will see them play two friendlies, which will obviously serve as another revenue stream for them. Lots of notable players, for multiple reasons, were left out of the travel party. Leny Yoro, Lisandro Martinez and Noussair Mazraoui (who got hurt yesterday) will all stay back due to injury/fitness reasons.
Maybank Challenge Cup FYIs
Manchester United vs ASEAN All-Stars
Format: Postseason Friendly
Kickoff: Wed May 28, 1:45pm BST (8:45pm local time)
Venue: Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
United Summer Transfer Window Analysis: 10 Players Who Could Leave 8 Players Who Should Stay
Man United Preview Material: Team News Starting Lineup Prediction
Man United Team News vs ASEAN All-Stars
Yoro and Martinez will be players for 2025-26. Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof were also left out, as their club contracts are now reaching termination.
Like Eriksen and Lindelof, Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho must also find new clubs this summer. Thus, they’re not a part of this party either.
Rashford reached persona non grata status in mid-season, Garnacho only rather recently. There is some good news though!
Diogo Dalot, although withdrawn yesterday due to an injury concern, was fit enough to be included on the plane.
Defender Matthijs de Ligt is fully fit to make the trip as well.
Also, when we say that this tour (which begins with a clash in Kuala Lumpur against the ASEAN All-Stars) is a cash grab, we’re not joking.
Look at what United CEO Omar Berrada said when this tour was announced back on April 8:
“Tour fixtures drive significant additional revenue which help make the club stronger, allowing us to keep investing in success on the pitch.”
“They also create unique opportunities for us to collaborate with our valued commercial partners, and to deepen relationships with our fans in regions such as Asia and the U.S.”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter