Japanese online retailer Rakuten will be Barcelona's main sponsor for the next four years, the Spanish giants said on Npovember 16, 2016. Rakuten will replace Qatar Airways which has been Barcelona's shirt sponsor since 2013. / AFP PHOTO /Spanish giants FC Barcelona sealed a massive shirt sponsorship deal on Wednesday with Japanese online retailer Rakuten worth at least $59 million (Sh6billion) a year. One of world football’s most lucrative shirt sponsorship deals sees Japan’s leading e-commerce company replace Qatar Airways, Barcelona’s shirt sponsor since 2013, confirming Asia’s appetite for major investment in European football. Barcelona’s new sponsorship deal, however, falls short of the seven-year deal which Manchester United signed with Chevrolet which will earn the English club $560 million (Sh57b).

Source: Standard Digital November 17, 2016 19:59 UTC