Nike roll out their first signature design of the new Mercurial series for that man Cristiano Ronaldo. Launched as a limited edition drop to celebrate Ronaldo's "special relationship" with China, the boot is titled the CR7 Mercurial Superfly "Shuai" and features a distinct aesthetic.

Yeah "special relationship" is a bit flakey, but it does go a bit deeper than just trying to raise his profile in a booming Chinese football market. CR7 has completed two pre-season tours of China with the Swoosh in the last few years, to visit fans, do some charity work, and well, yeah, raise his profile to flog limited edition boots and probably a few pairs of CR7 pants too. But, hey, that's business. But thanks to that we're looking at a stunning new design on the new-gen Mercurial Superfly 7.

Dropping in a bold blue colourway with a contrasting pink Swoosh, the CR7 Mercurial Superfly "Shuai" boots feature a tasty graphic print all over the upper, or words, if you happen to read Chinese. Those symbols read "Tong Shuai" which translates to "Stylish Commander" – a nod to CR7's influence, relentless will to win and leadership by example qualities.

The special edition drop will see Nike reserve most pairs for China, however, a small number of them will drop in Europe on July 17, with Cristiano Ronaldo expected to lace up in them when Juventus take on Inter Milan in the International Champions Cup (a friendly) in Nanjing, China, on July 24.

The Nike CR7 Mercurial Superfly "Shuai" football boots will be available from prodirectsoccer.com on July 17.