Arsenal furthers its Asian presence

Arsenal has agreed a technical and marketing partnership with Vietnamese League club Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL), marking the first time a top football club has ventured into the South-East Asian country. The partnership will lead to the establishment and operation of an Arsenal elite football academy in Vietnam, technical support for the HAGL football team and commercial, marketing and business support for the Vietnamese club. The Barclays (sponsor) Premiership club will also use the partnership as an opportunity to further develop club-related marketing and merchandising initiatives along with soccer school activities in Vietnam.
Keith Edelman, Arsenal's managing director, said in a statement: "It is the first venture of its kind by any major football club into Vietnam, a territory which is renowned for its love of football and we are delighted to have found a partner who shares the same goals as us - to develop the local game at all levels and help provide the foundations for the club to have a genuine presence in the region."
Work will immediately begin on the development of an Arsenal Academy in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai with the aim to develop the standard of the game in the region. The Academy will run on a similar basis to the ones that currently operate in Thailand and the Ivory Coast. Mr. Duc, chairman of HAGL added: "We are delighted that such a prestigious and historic club as Arsenal is undertaking this joint venture with HAGL FC. Our club is looking forward to working with Arsenal to develop football in Vietnam and establish links which could in time open the door for Vietnamese players to play in England. Vietnamese football will greatly benefit from the experience and expertise of Arsenal and in turn Arsenal's presence will expand in Asia through this partnership."