The retailer has put together a small team of retail executives in London who are working alongside consultants, according to reporting by The Daily Telegraph.

In August, Alibaba opened its first physical store outside of China, AliExpress in Spain, which sells technology and electricals.

Alibaba has also been signing up UK-based retailers looking to expand internationally, with the likes of Waitrose, Burberry and tea merchants Whittard of Chelsea all available on the ecommerce giant’s site Tmall.