Hong Kong Premier League side Eastern is offering its players more than HK$1M ($130,000) in bonuses for "capturing any one of the three cup titles in the new season, while the incentive for winning the league will be much more," according to Chan Kin-wa of the SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST. Eastern Dir Peter Leung Shou-chi said, "Money always matters in professional soccer and we are happy to offer the players big cash rewards provided they can meet the challenges." He added, "The league will of course be our prime target, especially as this is the first Hong Kong Premier League which will always be remembered." The "ambitious club" has set aside a budget of more than HK$20M ($2.6M) for the new season with "financial backing from Salon, an entertainment
conglomerate based in Macau." Although Eastern "did not sign any new overseas players this summer,
they lured seasoned expatriates already proven in Hong Kong" -- Sean
Kilama, Michel Lugo and Reinaldo Peres from Sun Hei, Miroslav Saric from
Rangers and goalkeeper Yapp Hung-fai, from South China (SCMP, 8/25).
