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The Premier League aims to stage two preseason tournaments in Asia, involving six top-flight clubs, in the final two weeks of July, a league source has told ESPN FC. The Premier League Asia Trophy has been played in the Far East on a biennial basis since its first edition in Kuala Lumpur in 2003, and discussions have now taken place over proposals to double the size of the competition next summer. One group would be staged in mainland China with the other being played in either Singapore or Hong Kong. Earlier this month, the Premier League agreed a new three-year broadcasting deal in China worth up to £560 million and is determined to exploit the demand in Asia by increasing its presence in the buildup to next season. It had investigated the possibility of staging a Trophy tournament in the United States but has instead chosen the logistically less challenging option of holding two tournaments in the same region. Since its inception, the PL Asia Trophy has sourced teams from the top six, middle section and bottom six of the Premier League table, with no plans in place for that selection format to change. One local team will make up the four-team tournament in each host venue. In 2013, the Premier League Asia Trophy was played in Hong Kong, when torrential rain saw the playing surface at the Hong Kong Stadium covered in sand ahead of the final between Manchester City and Sunderland. In July, a game between Manchester United and Manchester City at Beijing's Bird's Nest Stadium in July was cancelled because of a waterlogged pitch, but the Premier League is confident such issues can be avoided in future. Arsenal are the holders of the Asia Trophy, having beaten Everton in the final in Singapore in July 2015.
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