German Bundesliga club FC Schalke 04 is set to sign a record-breaking sponsorship deal with Gazprom, according to reports of German newspaper Bild. The German newspaper also reports that Under Armour is on the verge of becoming the new jersey supplier of Die Knappen.
Under Armour to Become New Schalke Kit Supplier?
While Adidas will make Schalke's Kits at least until 2018 when their long-term contract expires, it's extremely unlikely that Adidas will extend their deal as the German company already announced to put the focus only on the biggest European clubs in the future. So who will become Schalke's new shirt manufacturer?
Bild reports that it's most likely that Under Armour will become the new Schalke 04 kit supplier from the 2018-19 season, while the German newspaper also reports that Under Armour would pay a record-breaking sum of 10 to 12 million Euro (Adidas currently pays €7 million / season).
And while Schalke is not only set to sign a new kit deal, the German club also plans to extend their current kit sponsorship deal with Gazprom prematurely. The Russian company Gazprom, who currently pays €20 million / season to be on Schalke's Kits, would be paying up to €30 million / season (€120 million over four years) to remain on Schalke's kits, according to Bild.
Additionally, Bild also said that it's extremely unlikely that car makers Volkswagen will continue to be a sponsor of the German club from the 2016-17 season.