We're now just six months away from the start of preparations for 2017-18, so it's time to start planning preseason tours and making associated arrangements. Actually, preseason plans probably have been in motion since at least last summer — as we've learned over the years, these things take time to plan and are often out of a manager's control — and this is just the first time we're hearing of them.
In any case, long story short, the Daily Mail claims that Chelsea are "in talks" for a pre-season tour of China and Japan, possibly as part of the International Champions Cup, in which we've participated for several summers running. Chelsea have usually been part of the ICC's American and European games, but they've held matches in China as well as Australia in recent years, too.
Chelsea in talks over pre-season tour of China and Japan | @oliver_todd https://t.co/lgj8ykTJlD
— MailOnline Sport (@MailSport) January 12, 2017
Chelsea have been to Asia for a few preseason tours over the years (last one in 2013 to Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia), but the Blues have not visited mainland China since the 2008 preseason (Scolari days). We did visit Hong Kong in 2011 for the Barclays Asia Trophy preseason tournament (AVB days). Surprisingly, Chelsea have never been to Japan for a preseason tour, though we did go there for the infamous FIFA World Club Cup farce in 2012-13.
As we've also learned over the years, one tour of China and Japan does not rule further summer travels within Europe or, for that matter, back to America again. Last summer, for example, despite a busy international calendar, Chelsea played seven games in three countries on two continents over four weeks.