Barcelona may leave Nike for the first time since 1998 as frontrunner to replace them emerges

Barcelona could be set to end their long-standing sponsorship with Nike.

The Spanish giants have worked with the popular sports brand dating back to 1998 but recent reports suggests the affiliation could soon be over.

German brand Puma are rumoured to be battling to be the successors to Nike's contract, that isn't set to expire with the La Liga club until 2028.

According to reports from Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, the contract - which is rumoured to be worth a whopping €200 million a season - is under serious doubt.

Issues over stock have caused tensions between the club and Nike, with Puma now rumoured to be interested in stepping in.

The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have also resulted in the club requiring bigger sponsorship deals overall, something which Nike are said to be keen on re-negotiating for less money.

Puma have since become more and more aggressive in terms of adding to their portfolio, having linked up with Manchester City back in 2019.

The 10-year deal was reported to be worth £65 million per season and Pep Guardiola's side have seen huge success, especially given the high-profile signing of Erling Haaland last summer.

Fans from the early 1990s will remember Barcelona were once sponsored by Kappa between 1992 and 1998, before agreeing a fresh deal with Nike just months later.

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Global stars including Ronaldinho, Neymar, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez have all helped maintain the Catalan club's profile as one of the biggest clubs in world football over the years.

There were concerns that could change back in 2021 when eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi departed the club, leading to the number of No.10 jersey sales plummeted.

According to a variety of studies, around eight out of 10 Barcelona shirts that were sold had Messi's No.10 printed on the back, which meant a tidy income of between €20 and €30 million per season for the Catalan club.

Robert Lewandowski's shirt has since proved a tidy seller, with youngsters Pedri and Gavi also helping to drive further revenue.