Manchester United look to have finally found themselves a sleeve sponsor.
The Premier League allowed its clubs to feature sponsors on their shirt sleeves for the first time during the 2017/18 season. United, despite reportedly holding talks with dating app Tinder, failed to agree any such deal and went the entirety of last season without one.
According to a report by Goal, the Old Trafford club will now have a sleeve sponsor in place in time for the 2018/19 campaign. It’s claimed United have agreed a deal with Kohler, the American kitchen and bathroom manufacturer.
United were thought to have been looking to tie up a deal worth around £15-20m but have had to settle for a lower figure. Although the exact amount the club will receive from Kohler is still unclear, Goal’s report suggests it is close to £10m.
Arsenal’s recently agreed sleeve sponsorship deal with Visit Rwanda is thought to remain the most lucrative deal of its kind in the Premier League.
United’s deal with Kohler is the latest in a long line of commercial ties for the club. Their main shirt sponsorship deal with Chevrolet is the biggest of its kind in the Premier League, but the club also have over 50 other partnerships with companies including the likes of DHL and music partner Deezer.
This news follows the announcement of United’s first two signings of the summer. Brazilian international Fred has completed his move from Shakhtar Donetsk, with young Portuguese full-back Diogo Dalot also arriving from FC Porto.
While Jose Mourinho looks to strengthen his squad ahead of the new campaign, it’s also thought that some current United players will be moved on. Matteo Darmian, the Italian international, is expected to be the first. The former Torino defender is expected to join Juventus in the near future after finding his first team appearances limited over the last 12 months.
