Perennial English Premier League powerhouse Manchester United is reportedly set to visit China for a 2016 preseason tour in the summer, according to the club's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, and speculations abound that the team will already be headed by former Chelsea champion coach Jose Mourinho by then.

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Bleacher Report indicated that the 44-year-old United executive had announced that the team "will play two matches in China during the summer as part of their pre-season tour ahead of the 2016-17 campaign" that will last for eight days.

The name of the teams they will compete against are not yet revealed, however, but the report mentioned that the "last club they met in the country was Kitchee SC in July 2013 in a match the Red Devils won 5-2". 

Woodward said to have acknowledged the more than 107 million fans of United in the Asian nation and their support is one of the main reasons of the visit, saying that "a total of almost 500,000 supporters have attended previous games during our visits to China and we have always enjoyed exceptional support in the country, so naturally it is something that everybody is very much looking forward to this summer", via the Daily Star.

Interestingly, though, is the fact that current manager Louis van Gaal was never mentioned by Woodward during the said announcement, instigating rumors that Mourinho could be the one calling the shots from the bench by that time.

Recent reports from local media outlets in Spain were out that the Special One had "reached a pre-contract agreement with United to replace the under-fire Dutchman" and that the 53-year-old Portuguese manager is allegedly already exhibiting a confidence that he will back in his job as early as the offseason.

United has struggled under van Gaal throughout the season as they are drifting at the sixth spot in the current league table. They are also in danger of not qualifying for next season's Champions League tournament with only eight games left in the 2015-2016 Premier League season.

TagsFootball News & Rumors, Football News & Rumors 2016, Manchester United, Ed Woodward, Jose Mourinho, Louis Van Gaal, Chinese Super League, china