Did Arsenal hijack Chelsea’s move with their latest sponsorship deal?

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·18 December 2025

Did Arsenal hijack Chelsea’s move with their latest sponsorship deal?

Arsenal have finalised a new sponsorship agreement with Deel, which will come into effect at the start of the next season. The deal follows the conclusion of the club’s controversial partnership with Visit Rwanda, and the Gunners are keen to continue generating significant revenue through commercial arrangements. While further sponsorship announcements are expected in due course, there has been speculation surrounding how this particular agreement was secured.

Rumours of a Contested Deal

Reports suggested that Chelsea were initially in discussions with Deel to become their next shirt sponsors, only for Arsenal to allegedly intervene and secure the deal. Such claims painted the move as audacious, particularly since Deel will not be Arsenal’s main shirt sponsor when the agreement commences. The story sparked debate about whether the Gunners had effectively “hijacked” negotiations from their London rivals.

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Clarifying the Situation

Keith Wyness, speaking to Football Insider, has dismissed these rumours and provided clarification on the matter. He explained, “Yeah, look, I did check with one of my contacts and no, the rumour was that this was going to be front of shirt for Chelsea, and no way was the budget there for them to do that. I think they were comparing potential sleeve sponsorship deals at Chelsea and Arsenal and whatever the presentations were, Arsenal won the day. I don’t think there was anything hijacked. I think it was just a straight commercial shootout. But, you know, some sponsors do want to go and shop the market.”

Wyness’s comments indicate that the transaction was part of a standard competitive commercial process rather than an aggressive takeover of ongoing talks. Both clubs had presented their commercial propositions, and Arsenal emerged as the preferred partner for Deel, securing the agreement fairly.

The deal reflects Arsenal’s ongoing strategy to strengthen its commercial revenue streams and maintain financial competitiveness within the Premier League. By partnering with Deel, the club continues to demonstrate its ability to attract high-profile commercial partners, a key element in supporting on-field ambitions and broader organisational growth. The clarification from Wyness helps dispel any lingering doubts about the legitimacy of the negotiations and confirms that the agreement was achieved through conventional commercial competition.

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