Man City is "on the verge of opening talks with Nike" to renegotiate the club's £12M ($18M)-a-year kit deal, according to Mark Ogden of the London TELEGRAPH. Man City still has three years left to run on the current deal. But with the club winning two Premier League titles and a Capital One Cup "since linking up with Nike," and also establishing itself as a regular Champions League participant, Man City's commercial value "has grown" and the club is ready to exploit its "enhanced status by negotiating a package which better reflects" its status (TELEGRAPH, 1/12). In London, James Ducker reported Nike is "keen to retain" Man City's services having lost ManU and
Arsenal on its "roster of Premier League clubs in the past two years." It is "unclear precisely how much" Man City stands to earn from a new arrangement "but
it could be worth" up to £20M ($30M) a year for the club, which would be a
"significant bump" at a time when its finances are being scrutinized by
UEFA. The market rate for kit deals has "also increased markedly" since Man City signed
its last deal. ManU agreed to a world-record £75M ($113.4M)-a-year deal with adidas. Arsenal's contract with
Puma is worth £30M ($45.4M) annually and Liverpool has a £25M ($37.8M)-a-year
deal with Warrior (LONDON TIMES, 1/12). Also in London, Ian Ladyman reported any hike in the deal "would be welcome." Man City failed UEFA's Financial Fair Play test last year and "the make-up of the club's parent company, City Football Group, is currently being looked into by European football’s governing body" (DAILY MAIL, 1/12).
