Manchester United defender Chris Smalling has insisted that he and his teammates will try to "hit the ground running" when they begin pre-season training this week.

Louis van Gaal's side are preparing to fly out to the United States this month to get their fitness levels up to par for the new Premier League season, which begins on August 8.

In an interview with the club's official website, Smalling said: "[Pre-season is] hard work. It's important to hit the ground running during pre-season because you don't get those weeks back - they are crucial. You need to make sure that you're up to speed come the start of the season.

"It's all about getting your fitness up. Of course we go on tour and that means experiencing different countries, different occasions and lots of hard work. Winning games in pre-season always helps going into the start of the season and that's our aim."

United claimed the final Champions League spot by finishing fourth in the league last season.