- 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.
