Manchester United’s players were introduced to a high-tech cooldown jacket before their training session in Chicago on Friday.
The club’s performance department have teamed up with kit sponsors adidas to trial the cooling strategy which is expected to be used widely at the World Cup in the US next summer.
Ed Leng, United’s head of physical performance, was heard telling the players they will wear the silver jackets after the warm-up and at half-time of their three games on tour as they limbered up at Soldier Field in Chicago on Friday, while first-team lead performance coach Charlie Owen modelled one for the squad.
The innovative idea, which is designed to insulate the cold inside, has also been trialled in cycling and Formula One.
United could face soaring temperatures in their tour games against West Ham in New Jersey on Saturday and Bournemouth in Chicago next Thursday, although their final game of the Premier League Summer Series against Everton a week on Sunday will be at the indoor air-conditioned Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The squad will leave their Chicago base for New Jersey later on Friday with temperatures at the MetLife Stadium – which will host next year’s World Cup final – set to be above 80 degrees at kick-off.
In Chicago earlier this week, the heat index – a combination of temperature and humidity – was well over 100 degrees when United trained for the first time on Wednesday, although an early 8am start meant it was a little cooler for Amorim and his players.
A huge thunderstorm on Thursday helped to clear the air so conditions were more comfortable for the squad on Friday.
