Puma pushing hard to become Barcelona’s kit sponsor amid tension with Nike

Barcelona’s kits are almost synonymous with the Nike logo, thanks to their long-standing relationship over the years.

But cracks are starting to show in that relationship lately, with Barcelona not entirely happy with what Nike are offering right now.

It was earlier reported that other apparel giants such as Puma and New Balance have already taken note of Barcelona’s tense relations with Adidas and are ready to jump in at any given opportunity.

Puma pushing hard to become Barcelona’s kit sponsor

Now, a report from Mundo Deportivosuggests that Puma is pushing hard to become Barcelona’s main kit sponsor.

The interest from Puma has reached the Barça locker room. Even officials from Nike are aware of the push from Puma and are worried about Barcelonapotentially terminating the contract.

In fact, the report suggests that Barcelona may start having Puma as the main kit sponsor from the 2025/26 season if the club remain keen on terminating Nike’s contract.

 

Barcelona’s deal with Nike dates back to 1998. Although the contract runs until 2028, there have been constant discrepancies between the two parties, especially after the pandemic.

Barcelona’s economic plans going forward

From Barcelona’s perspective, the club want to yield more money from their kit sponsor. They currently receive €105 million per season, plus another €50 million in variables.

But in recent years Barcelona have demanded more, whereas Nike has explored the possibility of lowering the amount.

Puma, on the other hand, have become a leading kit sponsor in the world of football. The German giants notably have Manchester City as their flagship partner, along with Neymar Jr.

Puma would certainly be interested in offering Barcelona a more lucrative deal than Nike. However, Nike, for their part, are not expected to back down very easily, so it will be interesting to see how things transpire in the coming months.