Ed Woodward will remain in the UK as Manchester United push to complete deals for Harry Maguire and Sean Longstaff.
The executive vice chairman has decided against joining up with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad here in Shanghai – meaning this is the first summer tour he has missed since taking control of the club in 2013.
Man Utd are refusing to walk away from Maguire, despite seeing two bids rejected by Leicester.
Their last offer was around £70million, which is still some way short of Leicester’s asking price of £90m.
With the clubs locked in talks, Woodward is hoping to reach a breakthrough imminently, knowing there are less than three weeks left of the transfer window.
United are also preparing their next move for Longstaff after being stunned by Newcastle’s £50m valuation of the midfielder.
That has not put them off – and they still expect to strike a deal at less than £30m.
Newcastle based their asking price on the £50m United paid for Aaron Wan-Bissaka. But given Longstaff has made just nine Premier League appearances, it is felt such comparisons are unrealistic.
Bruno Fernandes is also on United’s radar, but Maguire is the priority.
Solskjaer wanted his transfer business completed in time for the start of pre-season, but on the final leg of their tour to Australia and Asia there are still a number of doubts hanging over his squad.
As well as incomings, there are a host of potential outgoings that need to be determined.
United are prepared to sell Romelu Lukaku for £80m - but Inter Milan’s bid of £54m was rejected out of hand over the weekend.
Solskjaer has six centre backs and will look to sell at least one if Maguire comes in.
Matteo Darmian is also available for £12m, while Alexis Sanchez would be sold if anyone is prepared to meet his salary of around £450,000-a-week.
Meanwhile Paul Pogba’s future remains unclear, but it would take a bid in excess of £150m from Real Madrid for United to consider selling the wantaway midfielder.
