text: Louis van Gaal believes Manchester United will hit the ground running in their attempt to win the Barclays Premier League next season after persuading the Old Trafford hierarchy to agree to a short and sharp pre-season tour of America in July. After last summer’s mammoth trek across the United States, an angry United manager Van Gaal vowed that it would never happen again on his watch and believes to this day that the effects of the pre-season schedule cost his side dearly when the real action started. Now Sportsmail can reveal that Van Gaal and United have turned down offers from Asia and Australia and are about to sign off a visit to America – in all likelihood to the west coast. The trip will last in the region of 12 days – a whole week shorter than last summer - and will be over by August 1. Manchester United beat Real Madrid in Michigan last summer in front of 109,000 fans . United played four games in America last pre-season, here Wayne Rooney scores against LA Galaxy . United beat Liverpool in the final to win the International Champions Cup last summer . While rivals such as Manchester City are trekking around Australia, Van Gaal and his United players will operate out of one base in America and travel to their games from there. The club have agreed once again to rake part in the International Champions Cup that they won last summer by beating Liverpool in a final in Miami. The tournament is played all over America but this time the promoters have essentially allowed United to choose their own venues as they are so desperate to have England’s most famous club in it. Details of the competition were supposed to be announced last week with United given a provisional deadline to commit to their schedule by last Friday. However, the announcement has been put on hold while Van Gaal and United tweak final details. Last season, Van Gaal joined United after the World Cup in Brazil to find the club committed to a two-and-half week marathon comprising visits to Los Angeles, Pasadena, Denver, Washington, Detroit and, finally, Miami. Rooney scored another spectacular goal for United against Aston Villa last weekend . Following their tour of America, United suffered a slow start but are now firing on all cylinders in the league . The Dutch veteran was furious at the itinerary that he felt asked too much of his players as they were constantly asked to fly in to different time zones and even play at altitude in Colorado. Having to then play the final in Florida during a thunderstorm was the final straw. For long periods of this winter’s negotiations, Van Gaal and United seemed set to commit to a schedule on America’s East Coast. It is understand, however, that Van Gaal has recently performed a volte face and expressed a preference for the more agreeable climates of the west. Van Gaal has insisted this time that his team will travel to match venues from one base and will have no repeat of the arduous treks endured to games in Pasadena and Ann Arbor last year. One possible base is the Seattle Seahawks training camp on America’s north-west coast. The Premier League season starts early this year, with the competition kicking off on August 8.
target: Manchester United will embark on a short tour of America this summer .
  They are likely to spend 12 days on the west coast, staying in one place .
  United will defend their International Champions Cup title .
  Louis van Gaal has avoided a lengthy, energy-sapping tour this year .
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