As they try to woo fans across Asia, Manchester City have taken a focused and systematic approach. That has included opening a commercial office in Shanghai earlier this year, in addition to regional bases in Singapore, Tokyo, Melbourne and Abu Dhabi. But some things are impossible to plan for, such as when striker Sergio Aguero posed for a selfie with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The photo, taken on a tour of the Etihad Stadium in November and also featuring then British Prime Minister David Cameron, provided the kind of global exposure that money can't buy. Ten months later, Aguero has more than 5.