MANCHESTER United could be playing their first match in England as the new European Champions at the Kassam Stadium.

oOxford United director Jim Smith has been in discussions with his friend Sir Alex Ferguson about the Red Devils sending a team to play the U's in July, though it is unlikely to contain any of the players who beat Chelsea on penalties in Moscow on Wednesday.

Smith said: "They are one of three or four teams we have been talking to trying to get a firm date, along with Fulham, QPR and Portsmouth.

"They are the calibre of opposition we are trying to get for a pre-season game, but it would be a Manchester United XI, not their first team."

Oxford United took on a Man Utd XI two years ago, and were fortunate then that the Old Trafford outfit included internationals like Cristiano Ronaldo - who scored twice in a 4-1 win - Gabriel Heinze, Louis Saha and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, which boosted the gate to 11,500.

"The last time we were very lucky because one of Manchester United's planned tours abroad was cancelled at very late notice, so they were able to bring some top players," Smith said.

Manchester United's senior squad is already committed to a Far East tour, which will see them take in Japan, Korea Republic, Macau and Malaysia between July 17-27.

The pre-season friendly Oxford United had pencilled in against QPR on July 19 has been called off because the Kassam Stadium is needed for another event that day.

United general manager Mick Brown said: "We came back with other dates, but they couldn't rearrange it.

"We have a number of games in the pipeline, but we prefer to announce them all in one go, rather in dribs and drabs, and we hope to be able to do that soon."