De Gea: Team Spirit Strong

Manchester United’s players have looked in great spirits during Tour 2016, presented by Aon, and David De Gea confirms the mood in the squad is upbeat.

The Reds have noticeably enjoyed themselves despite some taxing training conditions in China, with photographers snapping numerous shots of players laughing and joking with each other.

It’s an impression that has been validated by several members of the team in recent days, with Jesse Lingard hinting it might start with new manager Jose Mourinho, who “likes a joke” and is “a really chilled, easy-going guy”.

Even as De Gea was being interviewed by MUTV at Sunday’s open training session in Beijing, his team-mates were trying to put him off, with fellow Spaniard Juan Mata piping up just off camera: “You always say the same thing!”

De Gea told the club’s official TV channel: “There’s a really good atmosphere in this team – there are some young lads and it’s very good to be here.

“We have a really good manager and he’s a winner – that’s what we feel. So now we want to start the season with a win.”

Following the cancellation of the tour game against City, United's next games are against Galatasaray in Gothenburg, Everton in Wayne Rooney’s testimonial and Leicester City in the Community Shield, before the real action begins with the Premier League opener away to Bournemouth.

And De Gea states the whole squad, who will be joined in Manchester by new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the other returning Euro 2016 players this week, is focused on being fit for that encounter on 14 August.

“It was a short holiday but now we are in back in training and we have a really good group of footballers,” the stopper continued.

“I feel really well. It’s the beginning of the season and I need to be more fit in training and we’ll see. We need to look forward and be really fit for the first game.”