Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is preparing to put his players through an intense pre-season "boot camp" in an attempt to improve his squad's fitness ahead of next season.
Solskjaer is preparing for his first summer since being confirmed as the Red Devils' permanent manager and is looking to re-establish the Manchester club as Premier League title challengers.
In addition to bringing several new faces to Old Trafford during the coming months, the United boss is planning to crack the whip with his squad.
According to the Sun on Sunday , Solskjaer instructed the training ground staff to have facilities ready for the players to start returning to work on July 1.
It is reported that the players will be put through an intensive fitness 'boot camp' before they jet off to Australia for the start of the club's pre-season tour.
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A source told the paper: “Staff have been in meetings at Carrington this week and told that all essential staff need to be around for the start of July.
“He’s wants the pitches ready because he wants to kick off with a major boot camp style fitness regime.
“It certainly sounds more serious than it has done for a few years.
“He wants a lot of the core fitness work done before they head out to Australia so they can concentrate more on tactics and team in matches.
“A few of the lads thought they might have an extra few days rest but it is being made clear that Ole is cracking the whip.
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“The exact date for each player to be back hasn’t been finalised yet, but some will be back in on July 1, some on the 3rd and some on the 5th.”
United have been off the pace this season and risk missing out on Champions League football.
They enter Sunday's crucial top-four clash with Chelsea in sixth, 25 points behind second-place Manchester City .
The gap between the two Manchester clubs was highlighted in midweek as Pep Guardiola's side came away from Old Trafford with a comfortable 2-0 derby win to condemn United to a fifth defeat in their last six games.
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United's recent struggles have seen many of the club's stars come under fire, with Solskjaer event questioning the fitness and attitude of some players.
Following last week's 4-0 defeat at Everton , the United manager said: "That’s one of the things I’ve said is the basics and one of the basic ingredients in a team performance is running, that desire and fitness.
“We know our fitness is nowhere near good enough. I’ve said it before, I can’t wait to get a pre-season done.
“We all know to win games of football, as I refer to many times… basics, and fitness has nothing to do with talent.”
