Manchester United announce friendly against J.League outfit Cerezo Osaka

United will go on tour in the summer

Wayne Rooney (GETTY IMAGES)

Manchester United will take on J.League outfit Cerezo Osaka this summer as part of their pre-season preparations.

It is the second fixture during a short stint in Japan, which is bound to be well received given the presence of Shinji Kagawa in Sir Alex Ferguson's squad.

The game, on July 26, will take place at the 50,000-capacity Nagai Stadium, where England ground out a goalless draw with Nigeria at the 2002 World Cup.

United have already confirmed they will face Yokohama F Marinos on July 23, and have also arranged matches in Sydney and Hong Kong as part of their summer tour.

"Manchester United first visited Japan over 20 years ago and our fans have always shown great support for the club," said chief executive David Gill.

"We are all looking forward to returning and playing a great game against Cerezo Osaka."

PA