Chelsea eye potential £15m Chery sponsorship deal
Chelsea are on the hunt for a new sleeve sponsor for next season, and Chinese car company Chery International (Chery) might be the frontrunner, according to Lukasz Baczek.
A deal with Chery will mean goodbye to current sleeve sponsor BingX, who have a £6 million agreement in place.
Chelsea are setting their sights higher, hoping to land a much bigger fish in Chery with a whopping £15 million per year deal.
However, the Blues won’t put all their eggs in one basket. If talks with Chery stall, current shirt sponsor Infinite Athlete might stay put.
This will leave the planned sleeve spot, which Infinite Athlete was supposed to take, open next season.
The Blues are playing it smart. They’re negotiating with over ten companies worldwide for shirt and sleeve sponsorships, and their strategy changes depending on where they finish in the league this season.
The better they do, the more attractive they are to sponsors.
Another rumoured sponsor is airline Riyadh Air – they are also in the running to become Chelsea’s shirt sponsor.
A deal with Chery wouldn’t be the first time Chelsea partners with a car company. Fans might remember deals with Yokohama Rubber (front of shirt, £40 million per year), Alliance Tires, and Hyundai (both on sleeves, £6-10 million per year).
Founded in 1997, Chery is a big name in China’s car industry, and they want to expand globally. Europe’s growing love for electric cars and supportive government policies make it an attractive market for Chery.
The West London club will focus on finishing a dreadful season in the best possible way – it will have consequences on the sponsorship deals they can pull in.
The Blues can still secure a place in the Europa or Conference League if they win their remaining games.
Next up for Mauricio Pochettino’s men is a trip to their manager’s former stomping ground, Tottenham Hotspur. After that, they face West Ham United, Nottingham Forest, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Bournemouth in the final games.