Manchester United star Matthijs de Ligt has defended the open-top bus parade that sparked laughter and mockery from rival fans. Red Devils players were seen sheepishly waving at supporters from the top deck of a bus in Malaysia, a ritual usually reserved for when teams win a trophy.

Just hours after United’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa closed the curtain on a dreadful campaign, United embarked on a near-15,000-mile round trip to Asia for a post-season tour. They were beaten by an All-Stars team made up of national players from south-east Asia, before coming from behind to defeat the Hong Kong national team a few days later. Rival fans at home mocked the decision to send the likes od De Ligt, Joshua Zirkzee and Ayden Heaven on an open-top bus parade. However, the 25-year-old pointed out that supporters from around the globe do not get to see their heroes as often as those from Manchester.

De Ligt said: “We know we had a difficult season so from the outside, it’s really easy to say: ‘Oh, what are they doing now? They go on the bus?’.

“But you obviously have to deal with millions of fans in Asia who are also for the club and us as players, which is really important. They don’t see us as often as the people from Manchester or from England.

“It’s so valuable because it really gives you a connection for us to see how they view us but also for them to see us close. Even if it’s after a season like this – it’s not the easiest trip but it’s so nice for us to show our love to the fans.”

Asked if he hopes United’s next parade features a trophy, De Ligt responded: “Yeah, that would be nice.”

The tour is said to have generated around £8m for United. Some reports claim that the players were unhappy when they heard the trip was taking place, particularly after a gruelling 60-match season in which the Red Devils finished a lowly 15th in the Premier League and lost the Europa League final.

De Ligt admitted: “I wouldn’t say it’s ideal but it’s the way how it is. It’s for the players to accept the things how they are. Here, I can do the job. The facilities are really good. The physios are here with us, so I’m not complaining about that.”

The six-day trip also featured a trio of United stars asking locals how to hire electric scooters. Alejandro Garnacho, Amad Diallo and Ayden Heaven attracted a crowd as they struggled to work the vehicles, before posing for pictures.