FC Barcelona Confirms Canceled Nike Contract And Received Lamine Bid
FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta confirmed that the club terminated its contract with NikeNKE and also received a $218 million (€200 million) offer from Paris Saint-Germain for Lamine Yamal.
Laporta addressed these topics on his new podcast aptly named ‘The Podcast of President Laporta’.
Reports from SPORT and other outlets have detailed how Barca is currently shopping around for a new kit sponsor with a view to possibly breaking its near 24-year agreement with Nike.
On his Spotify-backed podcast, Laporta confirmed this and also that it terminated its contract with the American sportswear giant at one point.
“We told Nike that, based on some breaches that for us were flagrant, we were terminating the contract,” Laporta explained.
“They had 45 days to compensate us, but they did not do it and we communicated that the contract was terminated, to which they responded with precautionary measures that we have responded to and now we are seeing the solution to these measures.”
“They have tried to improve the contract, but they have made efforts that are not enough because we know that the market pays more,” said Laporta, whose club has been linked to Puma.
“In this sense, we are civilized, and working with all the options we have. We are convinced that we will have the best contract in the world.
“We are open to everything, but we cannot have a contract much lower than what the market pays. It is our responsibility as executive directors of the club to secure the best contract,” Laporta stressed.
Though Barca is said to need two player sales to head to the transfer market this summer, that doesn’t mean the club will accept even those offers that appear too good to refuse.
MARCA reported that the Catalans had received a mouthwatering $218 million (€200 million) proposal from their Champions League foes PSG for Lamine Yamal, which Laporta also revealed to have been accurate news.
“We have offers for players like Lamine Yamal worth €200 million, and we have said no,” Laporta revealed.
“Because we trust in the boy, in his sporting projection, and we don’t have the need [to accept]. On the contrary. We are in a process of economic recovery and can see the light at the end of the tunnel,” the president concluded.
