Andre Onana skipped Manchester United signing duties and how Jonny Evans’ return happened

United have been training at the immaculate Pingry School in New Jersey, across the Hudson River from New York City. For those who have watched The Sopranos, the houses on the drive through Jersey were reminiscent of Tony and Carmela’s house. Alas, that particular property is three-quarters of an hour away from United’s training base.

Erik ten Hag attended his first press conference of the tour which lasted 21 minutes. Before he took his seat, the United manager presented a shirt to Miller Bugliari, the ‘winningest’ US high school soccer coach.

Bugliari is 90 but as sharp as a tack and held court for an engaging chat with Denis Irwin and one of the Pingry coaches. The school hosted Italy for six weeks during the 1994 World Cup and Irwin nostalgically reminisced about the Republic of Ireland’s surprising 1-0 win over the Italians in the Giants Stadium.

The sports facilities at American schools and colleges are out of this world and put the UK to shame, particularly given the number of playing fields sold in the last decade. United were put through morning and afternoon sessions on Friday, with the latter reserved for tactical training to prepare for the game with Arsenal on Saturday evening.

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United very generously hosted a media match involving UK and US journalists as well as umpteen ringers. It was a 4-3 defeat for the four dedicated correspondents of the Manchester pack who participated in an hour-long game that Irwin breezed through, playing a half for each team.

The temperature was in the mid-20s on a day storms were forecast but it was bright sunshine with few clouds; a forecast they could do with at the other Old Trafford for the remaining days of the Test.

Ten Hag was so keen to introduce Andre Onana to his new teammates the Cameroonian skipped the usual obligations most new signings go through. Onana took a longwinded journey from Milan to Turin to get a planned flight to Birmingham on Tuesday evening, only that flight path was then cancelled.

Onana stayed in Turin overnight, flew to Manchester on Wednesday to undergo a medical and finalise his visa at Carrington before rushing off to catch an Aer Lingus flight from Terminal 2. Onana was greeted by Ten Hag upon his arrival in New York.

Another addition to the United squad, Jonny Evans, is indebted to old teammate and technical director Darren Fletcher for his homecoming. Fletcher asked United on Evans’ behalf if he could train with the Under-21s, which paved the way for his short-term deal.

Evans, Will Fish and Willy Kambwala are likely to be the centre halves who fly to San Diego for the academy’s friendly with Wrexham next week.