Newcastle United to copy Arsenal after £60m-plus off-field deal agreed, Eddie Howe thrilled
17/05/2024 12:06
Newcastle United will mirror Arsenal with a crucial aspect of their pre-season plans ahead of 2024-25.
The Magpies, whose loss at Man United on Wednesday means that they look likely to miss out on the Europa League next season, will round off their campaign at Brentford on Sunday.
Off the pitch, Newcastle have signed a deal with German sportswear titans Adidas which will be worth a minimum of £60m in total over the multi-year contract length.
And the Daily Mail are now reporting that Eddie howe’s side will be stationed at Adidas headquarters for part of their preparations for next season.
In doing so, Newcastle are following in the footsteps of Arsenal, who visited the world-class facility in Herzogenaurach last summer.
The fact that the Tynesiders have been invited demonstrates their value to Adidas – and it will delight Eddie Howe, who prefers more nearby pre-season camps as opposed to far-flung tours.
Newcastle’s pre-season in detail
It is not yet known whether the trip to Germany will include a friendly match. Arsenal played FC Nurnberg when they stopped there last summer, so that could be a possibility.
Newcastle players will be able to make use of the elite facilities at the Adidas camp, which was opened in 2019 and cost £850m to build.
It is not believed that either party will receive a fee, with this being a mutualy beneficial arrnagmeent for both.
Following the visit, Newcastle will jet out to Japan where they will stay for a week and play friendlies against Uwara Red Diamonds and Yokohama F.Marinos before returning to the North East.
How much is Newcastle’s deal with Adidas worth?
The £30m-a-year agreement will run for at least two years, although neither side has specified exactly how long the contract is, only that it is ‘multi-year’.
On top of that, Newcastle are likely to receive a five to 10 per cent cut of any shirt sales. The fee that Adidas have paid for the rights to make their kit shows that they are confident of big sales.
The deal represents a huge upswing on the last kit deal with Castore, who paid around £5m per season. That partnership was due to run until 2026 but the club cut it short when Adidas’s interest emerged.
Newcastle’s commercial income stood at £47m in 2022-23, the last season for when their full financial data is available.
Supporters can expect to see that figure rise significantly when they release their 2023-24 accounts,.
The Adidas partnership, front-of-shirt deal with Sela and the commercial opportunities associated with playing in Europe, as well as the business contracts of their Saudi owners, means they could well reach the £100m mark next season.
