LIVERPOOL will step into the unknown when they head for the Far East this summer but Anfield legend Ian Rush insists they will feel right at home.

For the first time in their history the Reds will play pre-season games in mainland China, Malaysia and South Korea.

The three-match tour in July will start in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou before moving on to the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. The final fixture will take place in the South Korean capital Seoul.

Liverpool are no strangers to Asia but their previous trips have seen them favour Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong.

However, this time new ground will be broken and Rush, who is a frequent visitor to the continent in his work with sponsors Standard Chartered, has welcomed the decision.

The greatest goalscorer in Liverpool’s history will join the squad on this summer’s trip and has promised they are in for a treat.

“It’s great news that the club have picked China, Malaysia and Korea,” he said. “I go to Malaysia regularly and I know how much Liverpool playing there will mean to the people. They will be so excited about it.

“They are very passionate about Liverpool Football Club. The players will be amazed when see what it’s like. It really is unbelievable.

“The support for Liverpool over there is huge. Every time Liverpool are playing on TV the bars are absolutely packed.

“When the Premier League Masters takes place there Liverpool always have the biggest support, even greater than Manchester United. They sing all the songs and are obsessed with the club.

“I’m going to Korea with Standard Chartered in two weeks so I’ll have more of an idea about there then but I was there for the World Cup in 2002 and saw how much they love their football.

“I’ve been to China but not to Guangzhou before. It’s such a vast country where football is growing in popularity. I’m sure Liverpool will get a very warm reception there as well.”

Long haul tours are often criticised for the demands they place on players during pre-season.

As well as the 14,000 mile round trip, Liverpool will have to contend with temperatures of around 33 degrees and 80% humidity but Rush insists they will reap the benefits of the experience both on and off the field.

“The players will be back in good time before the start of the new season so there won’t be a problem,” he said.

“The world is a smaller place these days and those journeys can be done in comfort.

“Just look at Manchester United, they have been doing trips like this for years and it hasn’t done them any harm.

“I think the club has a duty to go to places like this. Obviously many fans over there never get the chance to come to Anfield so it’s about taking Liverpool to the people.”

Rush, whose role with the Reds involves developing partnerships with the club’s sponsors, believes the ground-breaking tour is another example of the progress Liverpool have made commercially under the guidance of Ian Ayre over the past four years.

Ayre masterminded a massive increase in revenues prior to his recent promotion from commercial director to managing director.

And July’s trip to Asia, where shirt sponsors Standard Chartered do a lot of their business, will provide more opportunities for the club to expand.

“The commercial side has certainly been taken to another level since Ian came in,” Rush said. “When we were successful on the field when I was playing we didn’t go to places like this.

“But Ian has done a fantastic job and now the club is starting to realise its potential.

“Liverpool might not have had the success we all would have liked in recent years but the fanbase in Asia remains massive. It’s only right we go there and reward that support. I’m sure the opposition will be of a decent standard and the players will get a lot out of it.”

Liverpool’s last trip to Asia in July 2009 proved to be hugely successful. Their first stop during the 10-day tour was Bangkok where they drew 1-1 with Thailand before moving on to Singapore where they hammered a League Select XI 5-0. Both games attracted crowds of 50,000 and fans were camped outside the team hotel 24 hours a day.

In 2007 Liverpool went to Hong Kong to take part in the Barclay Asia Trophy, beating South China 3-1 and drawing 0-0 draw with Portsmouth.

Two years prior to that the Reds were in Japan for the World Club Championship, while they also toured the Far East in 2003 (Thailand and Hong Kong) and 2001 (Thailand and Singapore).

Ayre, who lived in Malaysia during his role as chief operating officer of Total Sports Asia, knows all about the Reds’ appeal in the region and is delighted to be heading back there.

“The last tour in 2009 was a real success and we’re delighted that we are returning this summer after a break last year due to the World Cup,” he said.

“Nothing beats watching the team live and by visiting China, Malaysia and Korea, we are allowing fans from all three countries to experience just that.

“We will work closely with our main sponsor Standard Chartered and our other partners in the region to ensure we can deliver our best ever pre-season tour.”

Dates of the matches, the Reds’ opponents and ticket details are yet to be released.