SAINTS will play in the Club Super Cup during a two-week tour of China this summer, as they prepare for the 2018/19 Premier League campaign.

The club have this morning announced a 'major pre-season training camp', which will take place July and include friendly matches against German Bundesliga runners-up Schalke and Chinese outfit Jiangsu Suning.

Saints are bidding to raise their profile in China, with 80 per cent of the club owned by Chinese businessman Gao Jisheng.

They fly out to Shanghai on June 30 and start their return trip home on July 13 to Southampton.

"The tour will allow the first-team squad a period of intensive preparation ahead of the new Premier League season, while also building on an ever-increasing presence in the country," the club state.

"The Saints squad will fly out on Saturday 30th June, arriving in Shanghai the following day.

"They will initially be based in the city of Kunshan, to the east of Shanghai, with their first game, against Schalke, on Thursday 5th July.

"The match against the Bundesliga runners-up will take place at Kunshan Stadium, and will kick-off at 12.30pm BST (7.30pm local time).

"Saints will then travel 300 miles north-west, on Sunday 8th July, to the city of Xuzhou, where they will be based for the next part of the camp.

"While there, they will face Chinese Super League outfit Jiangsu Suning on Wednesday 11th July, at the Xuzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, with kick-off at 12.30pm BST (7.30pm local time).

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