Newcastle United are edging ever closer to one of the most exciting and lucrative sponsorship deals in the club's history as discussions continue behind the scenes.
Having accepted that they are locked in a deal with North-West based kit manufacturers Castore potentially until the 2025/26 season, with the brand that look after Andy Murray keen to stay on Toon shirts, United chiefs switched their attention to the main shirt sponsor last year. They were able to agree that Fun88 ended their association with Newcastle a year early with the arrangement with the Chinese betting firm worth less than £8million a year.
And that leaves the path clear for a major sponsor deal, United are working on and hope to update fans with in the coming weeks. It's understood that there is more than one bidder vying for the right to see their company emblazoned on Newcastle shirts.
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But the eventual sponsor could be worth up to £25million with the fact Newcastle are likely to be wearing the company's logo in the Champions League next season regarded a huge coup for the would-be club backers.
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Last year CEO Darren Eales said that there were a number of companies eager to be on board with Newcastle. The former Atlanta United supremo said: "Think of the Newcastle Entertainers team now, and you think of that Newcastle Brown Ale logo that was part of it.
"There’s the chance to be part of our journey. We’ve got that, and then with PIF, there’s also that synergy of companies wanting to be associated with us because PIF have such a big global connection and network. We’ve got a lot of opportunity because of that ownership."
Meanwhile, Castore have slashed prices on the 2022/23 Newcastle kit with details of next term's shirt around the corner. The shirts are being sold at £35 after initially entering the market at £65.
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