Liverpool open to playing again in Hong Kong if facilities are right, bosses eyeing city for retail push
- Premier League club last played in Hong Kong 6 years ago, but have spent past 2 preseasons in Singapore
- Commercial director Ben Latty says club wants to tap into ‘passion for Liverpool’ in Hong Kong
A senior Liverpool official has left the door open to the six-times European champions returning to Hong Kong, but said it was essential any preseason destination had the facilities capable of setting the team up for success.
Liverpool were last in Hong Kong six years ago to contest the Premier League Asia Trophy. In contrast, Jurgen Klopp’s squad are in Singapore for a second successive summer as part of their long-term relationship with Standard Chartered.
The city state is in the middle of a week-long football festival, and is playing host to Leicester City, Tottenham and Bayern Munich as well as Klopp’s side, who beat the Foxes 4-0 in the Standard Chartered Singapore Trophy on Sunday.
But Ben Latty, the club’s commercial director, insisted the lucrative shirt sponsorship deal with the banking organisation would have no bearing on future preseason plans.
Rather, he underlined the club’s desire to “further establish our footprint in Hong Kong”, and highlighted a focus on sustaining consistent and meaningful engagement with the club’s large fan base in the region.
“We assess different preseason options every year and multiple factors influence our decision,” Latty told South China Morning Post. “Team performance is paramount, so it is vital to ensure facilities are set up for success for the season.