Bundesliga champions FC Bayern München have announced they will be opening an office in Shanghai this September.

It will be their second international office after opening their New York City division in April 2014.

The Bavarian giants have appointed Rouven Kasper, who is the current Senior Director of Marketing at league rivals Hamburger SV, to head an initial six-man staff in China.

Kasper has a decade’s experience in sports marketing and said he is “delighted” to take on his new role. “We will do everything to extend the established and successful local strategy as rapidly as possible,” Kasper said in an official statement.

“My staff and I will invest great energy in building up a network in China, supporting FC Bayern to the best possible extent in achieving the club’s targets for this market.”

The club’s AG Board Director Jörg Wacker echoed Kasper’s enthusiasm; “We are certain [Kasper] and his team will help FC Bayern make significant progress in its internationalisation in Asia thanks to their great commitment and expert knowledge.”

Looking to increase its overseas fan base, Bayern identified the U.S. and China as target markets for their global strategy.

Last year, along with express mail service DHL, the club launched an official online store on Chinese retail website Tmall, owned by the Alibaba Group. The German title-holders have also signed several media agreements with U.S. and Chinese outlets.

The 26-time Bundesliga champions are keen to tap into the massive Asian market.

Since the Chinese government’s US$850bn investment into football, local clubs have been snapping up star players and coaches. Chinese investors have also looked to jump on the bandwagon, with retailers Suning Holdings taking a 70 per cent stake in Italy’s Inter Milan, last week.

Source Foxsports