Stefan Borson drops strong verdict after what Chelsea have been ‘briefing’ about their sponsor deal
Chelsea remain in talks with various potential sponsors as they look to agree long-term partnerships.
Chelsea agreed a deal with FPT Corporation in October for the Vietnam-based technology solutions provider to take on their sleeve sponsorship until the end of this season.
Football Insider revealed on 24 October Chelsea’s deal with FPT is worth around £10million at Stamford Bridge.
However, The Telegraph’s Matt Law reported on 12 December Enzo Maresca’s side are expected to announce a new sleeve sponsorship deal for next season and beyond in the coming weeks.
Chelsea have been updating the press on their sponsor talks
Former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson exclusively told Football Insider it’s “pointless” listening to anything Chelsea have been briefing about their sponsorship situation.
Chelsea have faced issues with their sleeve sponsorship over the past year in their efforts to agree a long-term deal, having switched partners on multiple occasions.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson said: “It’s totally pointless listening to anything that’s briefed by Chelsea on the sponsorship side. You just wait for the actual contracts.
“It’s just pointless because there’s just multiple times that they’ve assured people that they’re close to a deal and they’re now in the final stages. Chelsea will sell what they sell when they sell it and it’s really as simple as that.
“What does soon mean anyway in this context? Of course, if you’re trying to do a sponsorship sale in an orderly manner, then you would have them signed and sealed in the first couple of months of 2026.”
There have been suggestions Arsenal hijacked Chelsea’s sponsorship talks with Deel, but it is understood that isn’t the case.
The American payroll and HR company has agreed to become the Gunners’ sleeve sponsor once their deal with Visit Rwanda expires at the end of this season.
Chelsea plan to agree sponsor deal soon
Borson insisted Chelsea will be looking to resolve their sleeve sponsor situation for next season to avoid any potential issues.
“You would want it all on the shirt before the shirt printing gets sent off to China in early spring,” said Borson.
“So, anybody that’s sensible and wants an orderly process, makes sure that the sponsors that they’ve got are all sorted out well in advance of that. By its very nature, it should soon be signed off for 2026-27.
“But we know that Chelsea, for whatever reason, have decided or failed to get the sponsorship deals and packages on the kit in particular that they’ve wanted, so I think we just wait and see with those rather than particularly listening to these briefed press articles.”
Elsewhere, Chelsea are yet to agree a front-of-shirt sponsorship deal for the current campaign after their short-term partnership with DAMAC ended over the summer.
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