Chelsea will soon unveil their new look (Picture: Will Palmer/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Chelsea are set to reveal their new kit for the 2023/24 season on Monday – but their shirt will not feature a sponsor on the front.
This will see the Blues became the first so-called ‘Big Six’ team in Premier League in history to have launched a shirt without a main sponsor.
Chelsea’s previous sponsorship agreement telecommunication company Three, worth £40 million a year, ended in the summer and the club have been on the lookout for a new partner.
So, why exactly won’t Chelsea’s new design feature a sponsor as fans ready themselves to get their hands on the new Nike kit?
Here is everything you need to know.
Why won’t Chelsea’s new kit have a sponsor?
Chelsea find themselves in this situation because several deals have fallen through in recent weeks.
Chelsea’s contract with Three has now ended (Picture: Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)
Firstly, a financially lucrative deal with Paramount+ collapsed last month after the Premier League refused the club permission.
This was over fears that a deal with the American streaming service would upset the competition’s existing broadcast partners and break Premier League rules.
Negotiations were reportedly at an advanced stage and club insiders were surprised that the deal was stopped given given Paramount+ is not a direct rival of Sky Sports and BT Sport.
Chelsea then turned their attention to online casino Stake and a one-year deal had been agreed.
However, this prompted a furious backlash from fans who were uneasy about having a gambling company on the front of their kit.
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Chelsea have also reportedly seen negotiations with an unnamed cryptocurrency company break down whilst they are also believed to have turned down an offer from Allianz.
So with the Premier League giants unable to strike an agreement over a new front of shirt sponsor, the club have decided to launch their new kit regardless to ensure fans have time to buy it ahead of the start of the season.
According to the MailOnline, Chelsea could even hand out patches that fans can iron onto their shirts if and when the club finally settle on a sponsor.
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Not a great start to the new season.