Liverpool are set to meet AC Milan in a glamorous mid-season friendly in Dubai.
The Reds are flying out to the region to coincide with the Qatar World Cup as they undertake something akin to a pre-season training camp during the tournament.
The ECHO understands plans for friendlies are in the pipeline and a match with Serie A giants Milan has been discussed as top clubs look to use their time off from domestic action by keeping their non-internationals sharp.
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A meeting with the seven-time European Cup winners would represent a high-profile exhibition fixture for the region as Jurgen Klopp takes his players to Dubai to make the journey for those joining up with their club colleagues from the World Cup easier from a logistical standpoint.
Liverpool looked at setting up a base in Cape Town, South Africa 12 months ago before deciding that Dubai would be easier given the relatively short flight from Qatar for those eliminated from the World Cup.
It's unclear exactly when or where the game with the Rossoneri would be scheduled to take place but the Reds are keen to play some fixtures during a period that sees them without Premier League commitments from mid-November through to Boxing Day.
Liverpool's last game before the international tournament is on November 12 at home to Southampton before domestic action resumes on December 26 away at Aston Villa and Klopp is keen to use part of that break at a training base that will mimic the work typically undertaken during pre-season.
The Reds will have a strong contingent with them in Dubai. All players are set to be given some time off immediately after the Southampton game but the likes of Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, Joel Matip, James Milner and Luis Diaz will be part of the group that reports for duty.
Players such as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and Fabio Carvalho are expected to also feature, while Joe Gomez is another who may be involved given his last England call-up came two years ago.
Thiago Alcantara and Ibrahima Konate are two more who may not make the cut for the Spain and France squads, respectively, while question marks over an inclusion for Trent Alexander-Arnold remain after he didn't feature for England during the most recent international break last month.
"The problem is a lot of our players will go to the World Cup so we will go to Dubai with the players who stay behind," assistant manager Pep Lijnders said in August. "What we had in Austria last summer was just insane because we had all the players together and a lot of the players who had played year after year after year without any breaks had a six week break, so Sadio Mane and Mo Salah.
"I think each session is important, so it’s not only in Dubai, it is also tomorrow. It's just what you can control today and tomorrow. The only difference is, and this is something new that we all have to deal with, is that the season gets interrupted. The team that deals well with that and understands that will have a bigger chance for sure.
"It's like how I said before, last season felt like a marathon with 63 games. This season feels like it’s a sprint, a break and then a sprint again. So it is important to start fast and Dubai has to create that we start fast again after the World Cup. Now we have to start fast again. You cannot waste time in this season."
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