Allianz, the German insurance giant, are reported to be one of several companies in contention to takeover as Chelsea’s principal shirt sponsor from next season.

Chelsea’s main shirt sponsor since the 2020-21 campaign has been telecommunications company Three, however that deal is set to expire at the end of the current campaign and reports suggest a renewal is unlikely.

Having to contend without European football next season, co-owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital will be hoping to secure a financially attractive deal after extensive spending on transfers since their purchasing of the club last year.

Sky News report that Allianz are one of a number of companies in discussions with the club, with figures at Chelsea hoping a deal can be struck within the next six weeks.

Chelsea’s current deal with Three is said to be worth £40m per season, or £120m in total having signed a three-year agreement.

Three – Chelsea’s sponsor for the last three seasons – are set to be replaced this summer

Todd Boehly – the club’s co-owner – is said to believe they can secure a more lucrative deal than that they currently have

Chelsea have endured a disastrous campaign that will likely see them finish in the bottom half

Reports in February suggested Boehly, who has been front and centre since becoming co-owner last spring following the sanctioning of Roman Abramovich, felt they could secure a more lucrative than that which they have with the mobile telecoms company.

However, Chelsea’s season in February, while disappointing, did not carry nearly the same weight of crises as it does now.

Since then, the Blues have surrendered any hope of qualifying for Europe through the Premier League, sacked Graham Potter and exited the Champions League in meek fashion to Real Madrid.

The club is currently beset by near-constant stories of discontent and concern, with Frank Lampard, appointed as interim until the end of the season following Potter’s sacking at the beginning of April, having lost five out of his five games so far.

They currently sit 11th in the Premier League on 39 points, having not won a game since March 11.

It remains to be seen how the club’s lack of European football and distinct inability to compete at any reasonable level this season despite the extensive spending on the playing squad impacts their commercial attractiveness.

Fewer games next season will of course mean principal sponsors have fewer opportunities to have their logo shown to the wider world.

Allianz already have a heavy involvement in the sport, holding naming rights for both Juventus and Bayern Munich’s stadiums. 

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Allianz already have heavy involvement in the sport – holding naming rights for Bayern Munich and Juventus’ grounds

Chelsea’s deal with Three has not always been plain sailing, with the sponsor briefly suspending their partnership with the club last year upon Abramovich being sanctioned by the UK government following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.]

The players continued to wear the logo on their kit as Nike, the manufacturers, were not permitted to produce new strips for the club amid the sanctions. 

‘In light of the government’s recently announced sanctions, we have requested Chelsea Football Club temporarily suspend our sponsorship of the club, including the removal of our brand from shirts and around the stadium until further notice,’ they said in a statement at the time.

Mail Sport has contacted both Chelsea and Allianz for comment.