The coronavirus pandemic has prevented Premier League clubs from heading on overseas tours for the past two summers. Instead, they had to ply their trade on home turf.
However, restrictions around the world are beginning to ease and some form of normality is returning to society. Therefore, trips abroad are back on the cards and Premier League clubs are wasting no time in organising their lucrative tours.
Tottenham have already confirmed their trip to South Korea, Liverpool are organising a tour to the Far East, Manchester United are looking to visit Australia and Arsenal want to reschedule their voyage to America.
So, with plenty of money-spinning tours on the horizon, Sportsmail have outlined when and where you can expect to see each Premier League outfit this summer.
Pre-season trips abroad are back on the cards for the summer and Premier League clubs are wasting no time in organising their lucrative tours
Arsenal
Arsenal are planning on re-scheduling their tour to the United States of America. They were originally meant to embark on the trip in the summer of 2021 but cancelled their plans due to the pandemic.
Mikel Arteta’s squad were set to head stateside to play against Inter Milan, Everton and Millionarios in the Florida Cup. However, an outbreak of Covid within the squad scuppered their plans.
Therefore, Stan Kroenke – who just won the Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams – is eager to reschedule the tour for the summer of 2022.
The tour will provide Kroenke – who has faced major criticism from supporters for what they view as his lack of engagement and investment – with the perfect opportunity to greet Arsenal’s players and staff.
Arsenal are planning on re-scheduling their tour to the USA to the summer of 2022
The tour will provide Kroenke with the perfect opportunity to greet Arsenal’s players and staff
Tottenham
Tottenham have confirmed that they will be heading to South Korea for their first pre-season tour since the coronavirus pandemic began. The North London club will use the trip to prepare for the 2022-2023 season.
The last time Tottenham flew aboard for a pre-season tour was in 2019 – when they went to Singapore and Shanghai to play against Juventus and Manchester United.
Spurs also took part in friendlies against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in Germany during the summer of 2019, before heading home to face Inter Milan.
Antonio Conte’s Tottenham side have confirmed that they will be heading to South Korea
The North London club will use the trip aboard to prepare for the 2022-2023 season
Speaking about their preseason tour, Son said: ‘I am extremely excited to be returning home to South Korea this summer alongside my Spurs team-mates — for most of whom this will be their first visit.
‘I can’t wait to see their reaction to the passionate Korean fans and the incredible atmosphere in what we are sure will be packed out stadiums for our matches.’
Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy added: ‘We are delighted to be heading back out on tour after what has been such a challenging time for us all.
‘Being able to take our team overseas during pre-season is always a key part of the preparation for any forthcoming season — I speak on behalf of all players and staff in saying we have missed being able to do so in recent years.
‘A trip to Korea, in particular, is long overdue — we are well aware of the incredible support we have there, with many fans travelling to London to watch our matches in recent years.’
Son says he is ‘extremely excited to be returning home to South Korea’ for the pre-season trip
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace are said to be in talks with Premier League giants Liverpool and Manchester United over two potential pre-season friendlies.
Their first fixture against Liverpool will reportedly take place in Singapore on the July 15. Following that, Palace will fly to Australia to face the Red Devils.
Palace are said to be keen to take part in the lucrative pre-season matches as they believe the fixtures will help raise the global profile of the club.
Crystal Palace are said to be in talks with Premier League giants Liverpool and Manchester United over two potential pre-season friendlies. They will take place in Singapore and Australia
Liverpool
Liverpool are in talks with Manchester United and Crystal Palace over playing a series of friendlies in the Far East. According to The Athletic, Jurgen Klopp’s side will travel to Thailand and Singapore in July to take on their Premier League counterparts.
Contracts are yet to be signed for the games in Asia but, as it stands, the plan is to travel to Bangkok on July 12 to face United and then travel to Singapore just three days later to face Palace.
The Athletic have indicated that the official confirmation of the tour will come in March – once the finer details of the trip have been finalised.
Additionally, Liverpool are said to be in the process of organising a European tour that will see them take part in a training camp in either France or Austria.
Liverpool are in talks with United and Palace over playing a series of friendlies in the Far East
Jurgen Klopp’s side will travel to Thailand and Singapore in July to take on the two clubs
Manchester United
Manchester United are set to face Liverpool and Crystal Palace in two pre-season friendlies abroad. They are hoping to play Liverpool in Bangkok and Crystal Palace in Australia.
However, they have had to cancel their tour to Hong Kong as the city still has some of the world’s strictest Covid restrictions given it’s government is trying to battle a fifth wave of infections.
Had Manchester United decided to go ahead with the tour, they would have had to had to complete a two-week quarantine period upon their arrival.
Man United are set to face Liverpool and Crystal Palace in two pre-season friendlies abroad
Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA) chairman Pui Kwan-kay said the city would have been delighted to host Manchester United, but admitted a deal fell through as ‘as the authorities were unable to make any promises on relaxing the strict quarantine requirements for overseas visitors’.
Speaking to the South China Morning Post, he said: ‘They [United] showed interest in coming to Hong Kong this summer and of course we welcome them because Manchester United has a great following here and there is no need to worry about the gate receipts.
‘Also, we want to instil more positive energy into the community during these hard times under the pandemic and an exciting international football match can certainly do the job.
‘However, the deal eventually fell through as the authorities were unable to make any promises on relaxing the strict quarantine requirements for overseas visitors, even if the match will not take place until several months later. And in the end the Premier League side of course chose not to come because no team can spare that amount of time for quarantine before playing a match.’
However, they have cancelled their tour to Hong Kong as the city still has some of the world’s strictest Covid restrictions given it’s government is trying to battle a fifth wave of infections
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