Arsenal FC has announced a five-year kit manufacturing deal with German sportswear firm Puma, ending a 20-year partnership with Nike. The agreement, which takes effect from 1 July, is reportedly worth more than £30 million per year, though exact figures have not been disclosed.
The new deal will provide Arsenal with additional funds for player transfers ahead of the January window's closure on Friday. The north London club last changed kit manufacturer in 1994, switching from Adidas to Nike, and previously used Umbro.
Puma currently supplies kits to only two Premier League clubs—Cardiff City and Newcastle United—making the Arsenal deal a significant coup for the company's new chief executive, Bjoern Gulden. The German firm will also produce Arsenal-branded merchandise for global fans.
Puma described the agreement as the largest in its history and the club's history. The company, which also supplies Borussia Dortmund and the Italian national team, aims to establish itself as the third major football brand behind Adidas and Nike. 'Arsenal represents a major commercial and marketing opportunity to reinforce Puma's credibility as a global sports brand,' Gulden said in a statement.
Puma's biggest name athlete is Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, who renewed his sponsorship deal in September until after the 2016 Rio Olympics.
