SAINTS’ preparations for next season begin in earnest today as they travel to China for a two-week tour.

Mark Hughes takes a number of his Saints squad, including new signings Stuart Armstrong and Mohamed Elyounoussi, to the Far East, where they will play in the Club Super Cup.

Although this trip forms a part of pre-season, with games against Bundesliga runners-up Schalke and Chinese outfit Jiangsu Suning booked in, it is also an attempt to raise the club’s profile in the country.

After Chinese businessman Gao Jisheng’s purchase of an 80 per cent stake in the club last year, Saints have been working hard on their image in the country, with football schools bearing the club’s crest planned in the future.

Chairman Ralph Krueger and 20 per cent owner Katharina Liebherr have also paid a trip to China to help relations grow.

But, now, it’s the turn of the first-team to head out on their own diplomatic mission.

Their flight departs today for Shanghai, where they will land tomorrow.

Saints will be based in the city of Kunshan, to the east of Shanghai, with their first game, against Schalke, taking place on Thursday at the Kunshan Stadium at 12.30pm (BST).

Saints will then travel 300 miles north-west, a week tomorrow, to the city of Xuzhou, where they will be based for the next part of the camp.

When there, they will face Chinese Super League outfit Jiangsu Suning, who former Chelsea man Ramires plays for, on Wednesday, July 11, at the Xuzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, with the kick-off again at 12.30pm (BST).

The squad will then fly back to Southampton on Friday,July 13 and embark on the rest of their preparations for the 2018/19 Premier League campaign.

That includes a trip to Championship side Derby County (July 21) and home games against Celta Vigo (August 1) and Borussia Monchengladbach (August 4).

Saints will also go to France for a period after the Derby match.

Discussing the trip to China, Hughes said: “We’re of the view that we go there and we have two good quality games, which is important in pre-season.

“It's not just a publicity exercise, it’s a genuine training camp with good quality games, so I haven’t got a problem with it whatsoever.

“It’s an opportunity to go to a country I’ve never been to, so culturally it’s going to be different and I think we’ll enjoy that part of it as well.

“It’s a long way away but the world’s a small place these days, so it’s never that far.”

The trip includes a good chunk of the squad, including younger players, but, of course, the trio of Saints players who are, or have been, at the World Cup are not included.

Jan Bednarek crashed-out of the tournament with Poland on Thursday but will be given time to recuperate ahead of rejoining the squad when they return from the Far East.

Maya Yoshida and Cedric Soares are both still at the competition in Russia with Japan and Portugal respectively, having made it through the group stages.

Their return date will depend completely on how far they progress in the competition.

Cedric is in last 16 action today with Portugal as they take on Group A winners Uruguay (7pm), while Yoshida will face Belgium as Japan bid to reach the quarter-final on Monday evening (7pm).