Manchester United’s £750 million agreement with adidas could be eclipsed by their rivals
Kit deals have become a major asset of football’s biggest clubs seeking to generate mammoth amounts of revenue, and Liverpool are said to be on the cusp of breaking the Premier League record for the size of their potential deal with Nike.
American manufacturer New Balance currently supply the Reds with their kits on a £45 millon per year contract. That is due to end in 2019/20 and new reports suggest multiple major names have been approached for talks.
Adidas and Puma have been pitched to by Liverpool but ESPN report that Nike are “deep into negotiations” over a deal that could exceed the £750 million partnership which saw Manchester United break the English football record for kit deals back in 2014.
United’s ten-year agreement with adidas is not the highest in world football, however, with Barcelona owning that honour thanks to their £100 million per season, ten-year deal signed with Nike last year.
Real Madrid’s contract with adidas is worth £98 million a year for ten years and Liverpool’s is thought to land somewhere between Real’s and United’s.
New Balance remain a player in the talks due to a clause in their contract that reportedly allows them to extend their exisiting agreement if they can match a rival offer.
The Merseyside team’s Premier League title challenge is said to be a big factor in their value to a new supplier, with Jurgen Klopp leading them to the top of the table for much of the season in 2018/19, along with an appearance in last season’s Champions League final.
