Aston Villa agree multi-year Adidas kit deal

Adidas will take over as the club’s kit manufacturer from the start of next season in what is believed to be a lucrative, multi-year deal brokered by billionaire co-owner Nassef Sawiris, who also holds a minority stake in the German sports firm.

It will replace the existing deal with Castore, which will end after just two years following complaints from players over the standard of the “wet-look” shirts.

The Manchester-based firm last month supplied the club with a new batch of shirts after players from both the men’s and women’s teams complained the previous ones retained too much sweat.

A deal with Adidas was already in the pipeline with Chris Heck, the club’s new president of business operations, also playing a key role in negotiations. The deal is thought to be worth significantly more than the £3million-a-year agreement signed with Castore in 2022.

Adidas is the second biggest sportswear brand in the world and supply kits to Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Manchester United, along with three other Premier League clubs. It will be the first time they have manufactured Villa’s kits. Newcastle, another club whose current kits are made by Castore, also recently announced they would be switching to Adidas from the start of next season.

The news comes as a timely boost to Villa’s off-field operation, which has been the subject of increasing criticism from supporters over a series of controversial decisions.

That includes another redesign of the club’s badge, images of which emerged online last week.

The club’s fan advisory board has contacted the FA to express its concern at a lack of consultation. Fans have now been asked to share those concerns in writing with the FA and Football Supporters’ Association.