United still movers and shakers in Asia market

Once again it appears Asia is about to receive full value for money from the Premiership champions.

This is the third time in seven years that United have spent time during pre-season in the Far East and, once again, the prime motivation is not football.

Having flirted with the United States - first with their failed tie-up with the New York Yankees and then consecutive summer tours in 2003 and 2004 - the American-owned club have decided their long haul money is to be made in Asia.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has rubber-stamped this tour.

He is seemingly happy that four games in two weeks - in Japan, Korea, Macau and China - will prepare his team for the defence of their league title.

On their return, they play a friendly against Inter Milan before taking on Chelsea at Wembley in the Community Shield on August 5.

However, the fact that Ferguson appeared unsure about whether United's opening match against Japanese champions Urawa Red Diamonds was scheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday perhaps indicates a relaxed attitude towards events on the field here.

The game is today (11.10am BST) - a little over 24 hours after United's players stumbled off a 10-hour flight from Manchester.

Ryan Giggs said at an afternoon press conference at Tokyo's Four Season's Hotel that he 'couldn't wait' for the game to start. Nobody really believed him.

The wisdom or otherwise of dragging athletes halfway round the world to fulfil pre-season fixtures is a perennial talking point. Everybody does it now, but United were the forerunners and Ferguson will argue that last summer's visit to South Africa did United no harm.

There is no doubt, however, that this visit is once again about the United 'brand'. Ferguson has committed in the region of £75million to improving his squad and a portion of that has been generated by the club's pull on Asian supporters and sponsors.

Tonight, for example, United launch a new-look Japanese language website five minutes before kick-off and will do likewise prior to their matches in Korea and China.

While in Asia, United will continue their ongoing work with UNICEF, a commendable tie-up which the club fail to publicise enough. There will also be the customary coaching clinics, while one of the long-term injured players - Ji-sung Park - has not been spared the trip and will be presented to his adoring public in Seoul later this week.

United are still without Gary Neville, Louis Saha and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - all of whom expect to be playing before the end of September - while new boys Nani and Owen Hargreaves have niggles that may rule them out today.

United remain confident that West Ham striker Carlos Tevez will pass a medical this week and join their list of summer signings.

Chief executive David Gill said: "We are still working on the Tevez situation. It is complicated - over-complicated if you ask me.

"We're working alongside the four relevant parties to try to do the deal: the player, West Ham, the company that owns his economic rights and the Premier League."

The earthquake which occurred here - measuring six on the Richter scale - struck shortly before United's private jet touched down at Narita Airport.

Although tonight's game will be close to a sell-out, the action is unlikely to make the earth move again.