Nike have already spent £4.5 million on materials to make Liverpool’s kit for next season, according to The Athletic reporter James Pearce.
The Reds are currently at the centre of a legal battle between the American sportswear giant and current kit manufacturers New Balance, but court papers show that Nike are already heavily invested on landing the deal, which would come into effect next summer.
Writing in a piece for the Athletic, Pearce said: “Liverpool and Nike have since worked together for the past two months.
“They have already agreed designs for the replica kits and training kits for the 2020-21 campaign, while Nike have reserved factory space to manufacture 2.9 million units over the course of next season and have already invested more than $5.8 million [£4.5 million] in fabric.
“Court papers show that they are also close to finalising designs for the 2021-22 kit. Nike has received pre-orders from around 8,000 stores globally for next season.”
OPINION
This should tell you just about everything you need to know about where Liverpool’s loyalties lie in this court battle. It’s as plain as the nose on your face that the Reds would rather have their kit made by Nike this season, and it’s absolutely obvious as to why. Not only are Nike a much, much bigger brand than New Balance, but they also have the potential to help the Reds grow this reach in key global markets. According to a report in the Echo, Nike saw its sales grow by 27% in Asia last year, and you can understand why Liverpool might want a piece of that action. They are undoubtedly one of the biggest clubs in world football right now, and as such, it makes sense that they might partner up with such a behemoth of the sportswear world.
