Man U's new stars on show in Cape

Although their World Cup contingent is on holiday and a top striker still injured, the Manchester United squad heading for Cape Town is a fine mix of experience and exciting youngsters.

United, who arrive in South Africa at the end of the week for a short pre-season tour, play Kaizer Chiefs at the Newlands rugby ground next Tuesday with the likes of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes heading a 20-man squad to be officially named by Sir Alex Ferguson on Wednesday.

For the first time United will also be wearing their new sponsors' logo on their jerseys on official duty, US finance company AIG having replaced Vodafone in a £56-million (about R740-million) deal.

Besides Scholes and Giggs, other big names in manager Ferguson's travelling party will be internationals such as Wes Brown and Kieron Richardson (both England), Darren Fletcher (Scotland), John O'Shea (Ireland), Patrice Evra (France) and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Norway).

The balance of Fergie's squad will be made up of his new generation of youngsters, some with first team experience, others on the fringes.

"It (the tour of SA) will be good for the kids," Ferguson told Stuart Mathieson of the Manchester Evening News. "We'll be taking a good nucleus of experienced players."

Giggs, Solskjaer and Scholes have more than a decade each playing top level football while teenagers Guiseppe Rossi and Gerard Pique are tipped to be part of United's next "golden generation".

"Without doubt Rossi is the brightest prospect at the moment," said Mathieson, who is his newspaper's Manchester United correspondent.

"He's a terrific scorer... the past two seasons in the reserves he hit more than 50 goals. He's the nearest of all the youngsters I expect to break into the first team soon."

Late last season the American-born Italian striker played a couple of games for United in the Premiership and FA Cup and recently signed a new contract that will keep him at Old Trafford for at least the next four years.

"Fergie rates Rossi and he really is brilliant," said Mathieson of the 19-year-old.

Pique, also 19, is a strong, tall defender who came to United from Barcelona and, as with Rossi, looks set to become an Old Trafford favourite.

At 22 and with a few more first-team outings than Rossi and Pique, midfielder Fletcher will be among the more seasoned young players in the United team to play at Newlands.

Fletcher says the World Cup has given him a great chance to impress Ferguson before the start of the English season that kicks off on August 19.

"Pre-season is where you make your mark and catch the manager's eye," he told the United website.

"With not so many first team players around there is an opportunity to be starting more games than expected, and we need to take full advantage.

"I want to give a good impression of Manchester United in South Africa and win all three matches," said Fletcher who scored the only goal of the match when United beat champions Chelsea at Old Trafford earlier this year.

United had 10 footballers at the World Cup and all of that group, which includes Wayne Rooney, Ruud van Nistrelrooy and Rio Ferdinand, have been given off until July 26 by Ferguson. Striker Alan Smith, who broke a leg in the second half of last season playing against Liverpool, is still recovering and will also miss the trip.

An exception to Fergie's World Cup rule, however, could be Tomasz Kuszczak, who was with Poland at the finals but failed to get any game time in Germany.

The 24-year-old goalkeeper has agreed a £4-million (about R42-million) transfer from relegated West Brom to be Edwin van der Sar's understudy, but the move is still to be confirmed. "If he signs in time he'll go to South Africa," said Mathieson.

"If not the kids Ben Foster and Luke Steel will be the keepers."

United to play Orlando Pirates in Durban on Saturday before arriving in Cape Town the next day.

Officials at Newlands confirmed that there was "unprecedented interest" in Tuesday's match.

Tickets have sold faster than even those for the high-profile rugby matches featuring the Stormers against Super 14 champions the Crusaders, and the Springbok Test against France.