EASTERN striker Dale Tempest is being lined up to make a return to rivals South China next season.
Tempest will have completed seven years in the territory by next August making him a 'local player' and qualifying him to represent Hong Kong on the international stage.
And the former Fulham striker, who turns 32 next Saturday, said yesterday there was a 'distinct possibility' he would re-join the Caroliners - the club which launched his highly successful Hong Kong career six years ago - revealing he has had initial talks with South China officials.
'I have spoken to South China and they have told me that I would be welcome to join them next season.
'I'll probably have more talks with them in the New Year but at the moment, my priority lies with Eastern and it's too early to say whether I would join South China. It's not relevant now,' he said.
Tempest was the territory's top goal-scorer for five of the past six years and he hopes to end his career by playing for Hong Kong in the 1997 World Cup qualifiers.