Manchester City inks US$86 million deal with PUMA

English Premier League giant Manchester City has inked a 10-year kit deal with German apparel manufacturer PUMA. The deal is reportedly worth £65 million (about US$86.45 million) per season. Moving forward, PUMA will replace Nike from the next season. The deal also covers the Premier League champions' sister clubs such as Melbourne City FC, Girona FC, Club Atlético Torque and Sichuan Jiuniu FC. The partnership is thought to be the second most expensive equipment deal in English Football. City's fierce rival Manchester United's current deal with adidas is worth about £73 million (about US$97.09 million) per annum. Currently, Barcelona FC's kit deal with Nike is priced at €155 million (about US$ 176.7 million) a season, the highest among European clubs. Meanwhile, PUMA and Manchester City have already been linked by several player partnerships with club captain Vincent Kompany, midfielder David Silva, and striker Sergio Agüero. In a statement, Manchester City said the deal is shaped by shared values of authenticity and innovation, and a genuine love for beautiful football. "These values will drive the partnership to change the game beyond the pitch, pioneering new ways to push forward the clubs’ communities, teams, and football while also bringing fans together at both local and global levels." "We are very excited to partner with City Football Group (Manchester City's owner), whose success, ambition and drive for innovation has seen them setting new standards, on and off the field. We look forward to building the most innovative partnership in football by redefining the sports partnership model both on and off the pitch," said Bjørn Gulden, CEO of PUMA.