Premier League clubs are increasingly likely to attract sponsors from overseas, particularly Asia's boom markets, according to the man heading the hunt for a new shirt sponsor for Blackburn Rovers.

Paul Samuels, former head of sponsorship at O2 and now European CEO of the US-based Bonham Group, believes that the strength of the Premier League's television following worldwide gives it 'huge value' for international companies, particularly those from the Asian nations where the League has a fanatical following.

"The Premier League as a whole is a great opportunity overseas and, while a club like Blackburn won't expect to earn the sponsorship fees attracted by Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal, the fact is that they represent one twentieth of the league which is tremendously valuable as a whole.

There will only be three or four shirts sponsorships available at the end of the coming season and that will keep the market buoyant. We will certainly be looking outside the UK to take advantage of the strength that the Premier League has around the world."

Samuels points out that the structure of rights deals in the UK means that it is often possible for fans overseas to see more Premier League games than their counterparts in the UK.