March 3 – Serie A leaders Inter Milan are to end their shirt sponsorship deal with tyre makers Pirelli, one of the most iconic partnerships in European football.
Pirelli’s CEO Marco Tronchetti Provera confirmed that after 27 years, Inter will change sponsors from next season and that the company’s name will no longer be emblazoned on the famous blue and black strip.
Pirelli has been on the front of Inter shirts since 1995 and is one of the longest and most successful partnerships in the history of top European clubs. The tyre maker last renewed its deal in 2016 for a five year term.
“We are in talks with (Alessandre) Antonello, (Beppe) Marotta (chief executives) and other Inter directors. We won’t be Inter’s kit sponsor anymore, but our relationship with the club will continue,” Tronchetti was quoted as saying.
Inter sit four points clear at the top of Serie A and are on course to end Juventus’ nine-year domestic dominance but are in serious financial difficulty off the field. The shirt deal is reportedly worth around £10 million per season plus bonuses.
Last month it was reported that Chinese e-commerce giants Suning Holdings, which hold a 68.55% in Inter, had opened talks to sell its majority stake. Earlier this week Chinese Super League champions Suning Jiangsu announced they were disbanding with immediate effect.
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