Reports have emerged over the weekend that Raheem Sterling is on the verge of signing a record-breaking £100 million deal with PUMA. With that huge news in mind, we take a look at five reasons why the Manchester City winger would be the perfect signing for the German brand.
Raheem Sterling’s current deal with Nike runs out in less than eight weeks (30 June) and rival brands including Under Armour, adidas and New Balance have been circling the England man in the hope of acquiring his signature. And they have not been alone, with the possibility that he was being targeted as the main man to bring Jordan into the game on a solo basis, in what was again reported to be a lucrative £100 million boot deal. Jordan obviously exist as a subsidiary of Nike, who have also been keen to retain his services, realising his potential and recently positioning him accordingly over the last 12 months, and that has culminated in them also reportedly offering him a record-breaking three-year extension.
But while nothing is set in stone, at this moment in time it looks like PUMA have the advantage in the negotiations, and here’s why we think it would be the perfect fit.
Statement Signing
Sterling has been on the rise for the best part of a decade now, and he doesn’t look like stopping anytime soon, with his figures improving season on season. If PUMA were to land his signature, it would be a further sign of the brand’s intent, building on the big moves they’ve made in the game over the last four years, positioning them as serious contenders and breaking up the duopoly that Nike and adidas have enjoyed for so long.
Solo Sterling
It’s no secret that Nike have a raft of big names on their banner, and it would always be a battle with the likes of Ronaldo, Neymar and Mbappe, to get the time in the spotlight and the attention his talent deserves. While PUMA can boast the likes of Griezmann, Reus and Aguero, they are either on the wrong side, or are knocking on the door of 30. Sterling is enough of a name – and is young enough, just coming into his prime at 25 – to stand alone as PUMA's highest-paid footballer and the face of their global advertising strategy for the foreseeable future. Of course, he could be completely individual if he were to take the Jordan deal, but there would always be a gamble aspect inherent in such a move, whereas PUMA boast one of the deepest heritages in the game today.
Commercial Commodity
Sterling has not only been making the news for his strong performances on the pitch for both club and country, but also for his outspoken stance on certain topics, with a series of statements on racism within the game. It positions him as not only marketable as a player, but in different arenas as a spokesperson; something Nike have always been good at leveraging but which PUMA – so far – have avoided.
Continuing Connections
The England man is already connected to PUMA through Manchester City and the club’s 10-year £650m deal. And it doesn’t stop there, with City boss Pep Guardiola signing up last summer to their portfolio, alongside Sterling's team-mates Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Oleksandr Zinchenko. The connection between the brand and the playing squad is already established, as it is at Borussia Dortmund, and this existing connection would make the transition all the more easy.
Fashionable Forays
PUMA have strong ties with Roc Nation – both Romelu Lukaku and Eric Bailly signed with the brand shortly after taking Roc Nation Sports on as their agent – and the ties are particularly strong with their founding father, Jay-Z, who also doubles up as PUMA's creative director. With this in mind, it would certainly not be beyond the realms of possibility to see Sterling collaborating on the development of a sportswear range with the American rapper, something he has so far not had the opportunity to explore, especially with that type of a platform and backing. Would be huge.
Definitely one to watch to see how it develops.
