Chelsea are looking to replace Three with a new front-of-shirt jersey sponsor and is in talks with Riyadh Air about a possible deal.
The Blues’ partnership with the telecommunications firm Three ended in the summer. Since the Blues’ efforts to replace them have been met with legal challenges from the Premier League, they have been forced to wear blank home and away uniforms this season.
But, as reported by The Athletic, that may soon be changing. The Blues allegedly pitched a potential front-of-shirt sponsorship arrangement to officials from the Saudi government carrier Riyadh Air in an attempt to improve their commercial profits.
Chelsea jersey sponsor: Who are Riyadh Air?
Chelsea executives, including CEO Chris Jurasek, greeted a Riyadh Air group at Stamford Bridge after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest. Later, the club proposed a multi-year sponsorship deal with the airline for both the men’s and women’s teams.
In addition to their present sponsorship of Spanish powerhouse Atletico Madrid, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is the main stakeholder of Newcastle. During the month of March, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia established the airline.
However, they have yet to begin flying and want to start offering services in 2025.
Who are other options?
The Athletic also claims that Tedd Boehly’s side reportedly wants $75 million annually for their front-of-shirt deal. After a season of having the mobile network Three on the front of their jerseys, the team is aggressively looking for a new sponsor.
Although Riyadh Air is still a frontrunner, Chelsea are said to be in talks with other possible sponsors, including Kaiyun Sports, a betting company that just signed a deal with Nottingham Forest. Real Madrid, Crystal Palace, and Inter are just a few of the teams that have partnered with Kaiyun Sports.
Chelsea and the corporation have an established association, as shown by the presence of advertising for the company at Stamford Bridge during last weekend’s match against Nottingham Forest.
Photo: IMAGO / Pro Sports Images
