Both Adidas and Chelsea announced last week that they would part ways after the 2016-2017 season, ending their current contract six years early.
Advertisement
The Premier League side were in contract with the German manufacturer until 2023, but made a decision to end the arrangement at the end of next season.
The Telegraph claims that the agreement sees Nike paying the Blues a whopping £60 million each year for the privilege to design the royal blue strip, dwarfing the £30 million-per-annum deal that Chelsea had with adidas.
According to a report from Diario Ara, the Catalan giants are closing in on a 10-year, €1 billion contract with Nike, who will continue to make the Blaugrana kit for the next decade. Manchester United are some way out in front with a yearly £75 million with Nike, but the Blues will enjoy a tidy windfall as well.
Chelsea is one of the richest clubs in the world, coming eighth in Deloitte’s Football Money League report.
Nike, which now outfits Manchester City FC, has ceded some of its top English soccer assets to rival sportswear firms in recent years, after Arsenal and Manchester United signed contracts with Puma AG and Adidas, respectively, in 2014. The ex-Premier League champions hope this will cover up for the loss of £40 million they will incur due to missing out on Champions League this season.
Advertisement
Chelsea and Nike Inc. have agreed to the second-biggest apparel deal in English soccer.
