Could Haaland switch to PUMA?

One of the most significant sports news stories in the football sponsorship market in 2020 was Neymar's signing with PUMA, a deal that ended O'Ney's relationship with Nike after 15 years of sponsorship. One year on, PUMA seem to be close again to snatching another top player from their American rivals: Erling Braut Haaland. A striker who not only appeals to all the big European clubs, but is also courted by the best sportswear brands. 

The contract of the Norwegian striker with the American company will expire next January and PUMA also strong sponsorship with Borussia Dortmund seems to be in pole position to sign one of the most promising talents of the European scene, further expanding its roster, composed of players such as Griezmann, Reus, Suarez in addition to the already mentioned Neymar.

Apart from recent signings such as Sterling's with New Balance, it is now clear that the American brand is changing its business strategy and that certain footballers no longer fit into the company's landscape: sometimes their contracts have been terminated, while in other cases, they have not been renewed. There are many examples involving high-profile stars such as Neymar and Lewandowski, but also Sergio Ramos, Thiago Alcantara and Eden Hazard. These are just a few of the top players from the Beaverton factory who have recently signed new partnerships, abandoning Nike for good.

A choice that is probably influenced by the pandemic, which has also caused cuts in many other multinationals, not only in sport. To limit the financial damage, Nike may have decided to cut the heaviest contracts in order to save the budget on other operations. In fact, given the recent cuts, Nike's strategy in the last period has focused particularly on the talents of the next gen, rather than the mammoth top players, so it is very strange that the American brand has not decided to bet again on a pure talent like the Borussia striker. A puzzle that will be solved in 2022, but in the meantime Erling Braut Haaland continues to score non-stop.