EVERTON FC is planning a major campaign to tap into the lucrative Asian market.
In a bid to catch up with its rivals Liverpool and Manchester United, the club is hoping to be the first in England to open its own football training academy in Thailand.
It will also see a fan club and website being set up exclusively for Thai fans.
The plans follow the club's new £1.5m sponsorship deal with Thailand-based brewery Chang, which was initially for one year only, but which the club is hoping to extend for a further two seasons.
Andy Hosie, Everton's head of commercial operations, said: "Chang is the first Thai company to sponsor a Premier League team.
"We are trying to increase our profile in the Far East and build on our fan base. Although we are well behind Manchester United and Liverpool, we are not far behind the likes of Arsenal and are ahead of other Premiership clubs who haven't done anything in that market.
"We are still talking to Chang about a football academy to be built on land they own in and around Bangkok.
"It would be branded Everton, but funded by Chang for Thai people and would be known as the Everton-Chang Academy.
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