LiverpooL Penetrates China Market

Liverpoolfc.tv, the new media arm of Liverpool Football Club, has signed a deal with Premier Goals Limited as their web and mobile content partner for China. The deal paves the way for the launch of a local language website incorporating all the exclusive editorial and video content found at the Club website www.liverpoolfc.tv along with mobile services geared towards fans in China.

Stephen Michael, General Manager Liverpoolfc.tv Limited said "Liverpool seeks to form partnerships that enable the delivery of the wealth of official content we produce to the global fan-base. This deal will allow LFC fans in China to enjoy a wide range of terrific content from the heart of Anfield, bringing them closer to the team they love and immersing them in the terrific sense of history that surrounds LFC"

Liverpool FC is the most successful club in English football history with a passionate, loyal and global fan base. Playing at the famous Anfield stadium and led by Manager Rafael Benitez, LFC competes at the highest level in football. This year sees the club playing AC Milan in the Champion's League Final in Athens. The final gives Liverpool the chance for an unprecedented 6th European Cup and sees them face the same team as in their mesmerizing 2005 Champions League win.

Henrik Barck Co-founder & CEO PremierGoals Ltd "We are proud to become a partner of a historic and great Club like Liverpool and look forward working to increase the fan base as well as building the Clubs brand further. China, the world's fastest-growing market, is also one of the most complex for foreign suppliers to enter. Apart from our unique track record, local market awareness, and in-depth knowledge of football and global experience from New Media, PremierGoals also has the right team in place to guide and lead towards success. We strongly believe our team has the perfect mix of the requisite skills."

Commenting on the Chinese market, Henrik Barck adds: "The backdrop to PremierGoals decision to promote football in China is the country's explosive growth in Internet use. According to Internet worldwide statistics, there are currently, 137 million Internet users in China. Mobile phone users are at 480 million."

Courtesy of: Chris McMullan, Rivals.net

Benitez Ready To Offload Scott Carson

Liverpool manager, Rafael Benitez, recently announced that he will take into consideration should there be any ‘attractive’ offers for third choice keeper Scott Carson this summer despite the England Under-21 international's remarkable appearance this season in the Premiership at Charlton Athletic.

The custodian, who is on-loan at The Valley, has proven a atypical success in an otherwise disastrous season for relegated Charlton by being named as the supporters' Player of the Year and thus, reaffirming the potential that made Benitez to pay £750,000 for a player with only two league appearances at Leeds United in January 2005.

While the 21-year-old appears an incisive buy and Liverpool have only unproven back-up for the first choice goalkeeper, Jose Reina, there is also an approval that Carson will not displace the Spaniard in the near future, that his stock is now high among Premiership rival clubs and that the player himself is longing for regular football following this season's outing.

As a result, Benitez is prepared to endorse the keeper's exodus but it will require an offer of approximately £4m before Carson, who gained interest from Arsenal earlier this season, is permitted to leave.