Chelsea announce new 15-year £900m kit deal from next season with Nike after ending adidas partnership

• Chelsea have agreed a new long-term kit deal with Nike from 2017-18
• Chelsea's kit partnership with adidas was due to end at end of the season
• The Blues will earn double the amount per annum with adidas' rivals Nike
• Nike deal is worth £60million, while adidas currently pay £30m
• It represents the largest commercial deal in the club's history

The only larger football clothing supply contracts are Barcelona’s deal with Nike and Adidas’s contract with Real Madrid, both signed in the summer and reportedly each worth £100m over 10 years.

 

The annual price Nike are paying Chelsea is also less than the £75m-a-year their Manchester United contract costs them. But that is again a mere 10-year partnership compared with the ground-breaking length of the Chelsea tie-up until 2032.

No wonder Chelsea paid £40m to exit their current adidas contract, worth £30m-a-year, six years early. The mega-money Nike arrangement comes into effect from the start of next season.

Manchester United boast the biggest lucrative shirt deal in England - earning £75m-a-year

By then Chelsea might have been playing their home matches at Wembley along with Tottenham, who are also switching to Nike shirts next season but for a considerably-lower £25m-a-year.

But the highly complex planning for the new stadium means any temporary re-location from Stamford Bridge has been delayed by at least one year.

Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia, Abramovich’s closest aide, who played a major role in the negotiations, said: ‘This is an incredibly exciting and important deal. Like Chelsea, Nike is known around the world for its excellence and innovation and we look forward to working together in what is sure to be a successful partnership.’

Sportsmail first broke news of Chelsea buying out their adidas contract and signing up with Nike in May. But the official announcement was delayed until Thursday.