The Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre

West Ham United  have this morning confirmed they will be competing for the Premier League Asia Trophy in China this summer.

Given the winter circumstances surrounding Marko Arnautovic that could be greeted with some irony but it’s an ambitious move by the club who will join Manchester City, Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the tournament this July.

CandH brought news of the tour a couple of weeks back and sadly we understand there is a particularly difficult hurdle in reaching the final already as we have been drawn as Manchester City’s first opponents.

The pre-season could hardly be more different to last term when the team played a series of UK friendlies against the likes of Villa Wycombe Wanderers, Preston North End and Ipswich Town.

Although pre-season is about getting fitness levels and pattern of play right it is good to be testing ourselves against similar opposition to that we will meet in the season and this is also a chance to spread the club’s name globally.

The four teams will feature in a double-header at Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre on Wednesday 17 July, before heading to Shanghai’s Hongkou Stadium on Saturday 20 July for the third/fourth place play-off and final.

It will be the first time the biennial tournament takes place in two different locations.

Premier League Interim Chief Executive Richard Masters said: “We are delighted to be bringing the Premier League Asia Trophy to China this summer.  In Manchester City, we have the reigning Premier League champions competing for the trophy, along with three other excellent clubs in Newcastle United, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers. ”

The official site declares that ticket information and on-sale dates will be confirmed in due course.