Santos president seeks to end Umbro deal

The new president of Santos, José Carlos Peres, has said the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A football club will terminate its partnership with UK sportswear manufacturer Umbro, citing the “ridiculous” terms agreed by its previous regime.

Umbro partnered with Santos back in October. The terms of the deal, which will begin in March, were not disclosed, but the Maquina do Esporte website reported at the time that the agreement would earn the club R$2.5m (€635,000/$753,000) per season across 2018 and 2019.

Santos’ previous agreement with Italian sportswear brand Kappa reportedly earned the club R$4m per year. The Kappa agreement encompassed a broader partnership in the production and distribution of kit.

Peres said he is prepared to end the Umbro partnership before it has begun, and claimed that his predecessor, Modesto Roma, did not have had the authority to sign the deal so close to a presidential election.

Peres told Brazilian newspaper Folha de S. Paulo: “Umbro has already been informed of this. We are going to look for another kit supplier. The figures that have been agreed are ridiculous.”

Folha said that German sportswear company Puma is in the frame to replace Umbro.

In a statement given to Maquina do Esporte, Umbro said: “Umbro does not have any information, because it was not officially provided by the club. The company will not publicly comment on the amounts agreed in respect to the contract, which includes a confidentiality clause.”