June 24 – Premier League Southampton are the latest English club to announce that they will spend some part of their pre-season preparation in the US. Although not competing in the International Champions Cup being held in the US in July, Saints will be on the East coast of the US at a training camp in Baltimore.
Visiting the home of their new kit partners Under Armour, Saints will hold a week-long training camp starting July 10.
Before then Saints officially launch their new seven-year partnership with the Under Armour brand on July 1, and may even have confirmed a new manager after the surprise departure of former manager Ronald Koeman to rivals Everton.
Saints have already been working in the region via coaching partnerships and Southampton Academy coaches will deliver coaching clinics to local teams as part of its Grass Roots Club Partnership programme.
Under Armour is a ground-breaking new partnership for the club which finished seventh in the Premier League and qualified for the Europa Cup for the second season running. No figure has been given for the deal but it is believed to be in excess of £5 million per year and will see Under Armout “provide game-changing technologies and product innovations for Saints”.
Not all of the Saints first team squad will make the trip with some being given extra time off following their participation in the European Championships. While the club will not play any matches on this trip, it will they take part in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Friday July 15 – effectively its first pre-season match.
Saints will open their pre-season match preparation proper with a trip to Holland starting July 22 when they will play three matches against Dutch opposition.
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