Liverpool confirm Asia pre-season tour

Liverpool today confirmed they will tour the Far East again next summer as it emerged that boss Roy Hodgson is running the rule over Lille's Eden Hazard.

The Reds enjoyed a hugely successful pre-season trip to Asia in 2009 when they spent 10 days in Thailand and Singapore.

And they will return to the continent next July, although the details of the countries they will visit are yet to be finalised.

News of the tour will delight Liverpool's main sponsor Standard Chartered Bank which does a lot of its business in Asia.

A Liverpool spokesman today said: "The club will tour Asia next summer but the dates and venues for the matches are to be confirmed.

"The last tour there in 2009 worked very well and we have a huge fan base there who will relish the chance to see the team in action.

"We also have a partner in Standard Chartered who have a huge presence across that continent.

"The fact that next summer there is no World Cup or European Championship gives us the opportunity to spend more time further afield."

Reports in Asia suggest Singapore and Hong Kong are the likely destinations for the Reds due to the strong presence of main sponsors Standard Chartered Bank.

Meanwhile, Hodgson watched Hazard fire Lille to the top of the French League on Sunday, just weeks after Kenny Dalglish checked out the same player.

Hodgson's latest spying mission with the Reds' French scout, Laurent Viaud, has fuelled speculation that Liverpool could be planning a January swoop for the highly rated 19-year-old.

The Belgian international has attracted interest from a host of top clubs and could cost as much as £18 million.

However, Liverpool believe they can tempt the midfielder with the lure of regular first team football.

Dalglish watched Hazard when Lille played Levski Sofia in the Europa League recently - after the youngster first impressed Anfield coaches when the two sides met in last season's Europa League.

Liverpool's new owners have expressed reservations about the value of signings made in the mid-season transfer window. But only last month boss Hodgson said: "We are going to be very interested in trying to improve our squad in January. There is no question about that. I am sure we will sign players."

And Hazard's age fits into the Americans' transfer strategy of buying bright up and coming youngsters.

"We have to be more efficient," said JW Henry. "When we spend a dollar it has to be wisely. We cannot afford player contracts that do not make long-term sense."

Also in action at the Stade Lille-Metropole on Sunday night was Ivory Coast international Gervinho, who has made an impressive start to the season.

When Hodgson was asked after the match if he was following Gervinho, he replied that the Ivorian was not the only good player on the field.

Hazard became the youngest goalscorer in Lille's history in 2008 and went on to make 36 appearances and score six goals - the first foreign player to win the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year Award.

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.