Chelsea are searching for a new sleeve sponsor and Chinese car company Chery International may be the front-runner, according to journalist Lukasz Baczek.
A deal with Chery will mean the club waves goodbye to current sleeve sponsor BingX, who have a £6 million agreement in place.
Chelsea are setting their sights higher, hoping to land a much bigger fish in Chery with a whopping £15m per year deal.
However, the Blues won’t put all their eggs in one basket. If talks with Chery stall, current shirt sponsor Infinite Athlete might stay put.
This will leave the planned sleeve spot, which Infinite Athlete was supposed to take, open next season.
The Blues are negotiating with over ten companies worldwide for shirt and sleeve sponsorships, and their strategy changes depending on where they finish in the league this season.
The better they do, the more attractive they are to sponsors.
Another rumoured sponsor is airline Riyadh Air – they are also in the running to become Chelsea’s shirt sponsor.
A deal with Chery wouldn’t be the first time Chelsea partners with a car company. Fans might remember deals with Yokohama Rubber, Alliance Tires and Hyundai.
Founded in 1997, Chery is a big name in China’s car industry, and they want to expand globally. Europe’s growing love for electric cars and supportive government policies make it an attractive market for Chery.
The club will focus on finishing a dreadful season in the best possible way – it will have consequences on the sponsorship deals they can secure.
The Blues can still secure a place in Europe if they win their remaining games against Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Nottingham Forest, Brighton & Hove Albion and Bournemouth in the final games.
