Last season: third.
Main signings: Sasa Branaezac (Croatia), Kwok Yue-hung (Happy Valley).
Unhappy that they were unable to make a bigger impact last season, Kitchee are determined to put that right this season as one of the three big clubs likely to be vying for honours.
Kitchee haven't won the title since the 1963-64 season, although many observers believe the time is ripe for the three-time champions to finally establish themselves as one of the best local clubs.
Kitchee chief executive Ken Ng Kin is optimistic his side will offer more than just token resistance to rivals Sun Hei and Happy Valley. Kitchee now want a share of the trophies. 'We were quite sad that we weren't able to win any trophies last season and we definitely want to do better this term. We want the club to succeed having put so much investment into it,' said Ng.
Kitchee have scored a major coup by recruiting a new foreign coach in Yugoslav defender Dejan Antonic, who once played for now-defunct Golden as well as Instant-Dict and was considered one of the brightest local defenders in his playing days.
A former Yugoslav youth international, who helped his country lift the 1987 World Youth Cup, Antonic last played for champions Sun Hei in 2003 and knows the local scene well.