Manchester United has announced that Atletico Bilbao will be their opponent in Dublin on August 6 for their final preseason game before the 2023/24 season.
The Red Devils now have seven friendly scheduled for the summer, and on July 12, they will face Leeds United in Oslo to begin their preseason preparations.
After that, on July 19, Man United will play Lyon in Edinburgh before leaving for their preseason tour of the United States, where they will play Arsenal, Wrexham, Real Madrid, and Borussia Dortmund.
After their final friendly, the 20 time English champions will return to Europe. On August 6, Atletico will be their opponent.
The match would give players “a great opportunity to gain fitness and playing time” prior to the start of the new season, according to Man United’s football director John Murtough.
“Due to the fact that Denis Irwin, George Best, and Roy Keane were all born in Ireland, United has very strong ties to the country. It’s a pleasure to be able to bring this game to Dublin since we are aware of how fervently our Irish fans love us, Murtough said in a statement.
Erik and the team will be keen to complete their preseason training after returning from their tour of the US.
“A game against top tier La Liga opposition, such as Atletico Bilbao, will be a great opportunity to gain fitness and playing time before the start of the 2023/24 season, as well as entertaining our Irish fans,” the club stated.
Man United’s 2022/23 campaign came to an end on June 3 as they lost 2-1 to treble winners Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
It’s @ManCity who are your 2022-23 #EmiratesFACup winners thanks to an @IlkayGuendogan double! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/3n4UdSQfwr
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) June 3, 2023
The Red Devils had a fantastic season, winning the EFL Cup and placing third in the Premier League, ensuring their return to the Champions League for the next year.
A new center forward is thought to be the club’s top priority during the summer transfer window, while a central midfielder is also anticipated to join.
But with Kim Min-jae rumored to be leaving Napoli for Old Trafford at the beginning of July, the central defender could end up becoming Man United’s first summer acquisition.
If David de Gea does not agree to a new contract before his current one expires at the end of the month, the Red Devils will also recruit two new goalkeepers on the current market.
Erik ten Hag has a crucial summer ahead of him as he lines up a number of targets in an effort to bolster his squad in preparation for a return to Champions League play. There will also be plenty of possibilities for any new hires to make an impression given that the Red Devils have scheduled seven games.
The pre-season games for Manchester United include:
July 12th against Leeds United
19 July vs. Lyon
Arsenal on July 22 (US tour)
Wrexham on July 26 (US tour)
Real Madrid on July 27 (US tour)
Borussia Dortmund on July 31 (US tour)
Atletico Bilbao on August 6