Barcelona president Laporta chooses Puma over Nike – report

The tumultuous relationship between Nike and FC Barcelona has become the talk of the town this year.

Believing to be underpaid by the sports apparel company, Barcelona are looking at ways to end their partnership with Nike and find a lucrative alternative.

One of the competitors eager to replace Nike is Puma. The German apparel giants were most recently reported to have submitted the Blaugranes a fee of around €120 million annually, significantly more than the €85 million paid by Nike.

Moreover, Puma is prepared to provide Barcelona with a sizable €100 million signing bonus, which may significantly aid the team in resolving its financial difficulties.

Laporta sides with Puma

Now, according to SPORT Barcelona president Joan Laporta is the most ardent supporter of ending the Catalans’ contractual arrangement with Nike and starting afresh with Puma.

However, the club has been unable to reach a consensus on the matter as divergent views exist within the FC Barcelona board of directors.

As per the information, a person supported sticking with Nike because it meant being associated with a prestigious brand and having the assurance of being recognized worldwide.

Conversely, some believed that since it was the Catalans’ 125th-anniversary jersey, it was reasonable to collaborate with a small brand and profit from its distribution to make significantly more money than a branded deal would.

At the end of the day, though, Laporta is poised to have the final say, and reports of Puma offering better terms compared to Nike strengthen their case.

Laporta’s commitment to reform is based on another factor, which is that Sandro Rosell has always been intimately associated with Nike.

For Laporta, ending everything with Nike signifies the beginning of a new chapter in the club and his method of imposing his mark.