Report: Barcelona will not renew deal with Rakuten as shirt sponsors

Barcelona have had to face a lot of changes over the past year, due to the pandemic affecting revenueand the mismanagement of finances by the previous board.

And, they could be set for another major issue in the coming months with regard to their sponsorship agreement with Rakuten. The Japanese e-commerce and retail giants have been Barcelona’s main kit sponsors since 2016, having signed a contract worth €55 million per year.

The deal was extended last year to see the partnership through till the end of the 2021/22 season. But talks over a further extension have hit the rocks, reports ARA.

The report claims that Barcelona will be paid just €30 million from Rakuten for the ongoing season, with the rest of the payments likely to be made in variables due to the economic conditions across the globe due to the coronavirus.

Barcelona, though, are intent on continuing with the same terms of agreement that were in place prior to the pandemic – something that the Japanese company are reluctant to do. This could mean that the partnership could be coming to an end when the current season is over.

What this would do is, not only leave Barcelona without a main sponsor for their shirt but also cause issues with their kit manufacturers Nike. The sporting goods giants had set a deadline of October 2021 for the Catalans to sort out their agreement with the sponsors so that they have enough time to start working on the kits for next summer.

But the current situation with Barcelona and Rakuten complicates matters for all the three parties involved. The Japanese e-commerce giants are said to have been disappointed with the manner in which the club was run under Josep Maria Bartomeu while the departures of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez is also said to have been a dampener.

All factors considered, the partnership is very much likely to discontinue.