Arsenal’s "long-promised sunny commercial uplands appear to be taking shape as adidas prepares a blockbuster bid" to take over the club's kit deal from rival Nike, according to Matt Scott of the London TELEGRAPH. The Nike shirt deal expires in '13-14, and adidas’ interest "is set at least to double the £13M ($21M) a year" Arsenal earns from it. Arsenal fans buy 800,000 shirts every year, "making them the third-biggest draw in Nike’s portfolio" after ManU and Barcelona. Adidas dropped Liverpool last season "after growing frustrated with the club's demands over an extension" and is keen to find a new partner of similar stature. Now, adidas "is hoping to renew an association with Arsenal that ended in the mid-90s after taking the strategic decision to 'own' London." Indeed, Arsenal is "not alone in coming under adidas’ gaze, and the German manufacturer is also believed to be set to conclude a deal with Fulham." Fulham's deal with Kappa expires at the end of the season, and adidas is "poised to take over" (TELEGRAPH, 10/26).
