The CEO of Premier League Newcastle United has appeared to talk down the suggestion that they could rip up their contract with Rangers’ retail partners Castore.
The Magpies had signed a deal with the UK-based retailer prior to the club being sold to the billionaire-backed Saudi Arabian investment fund in October 2021.
But despite some murmurs amid journalists that Newcastle United could look to rip up the deal and partner with Adidas, CEO Darren Eales has pushed back on this suggestion.
This comes after one Newcastle based journalist had suggested the club were considering an exit from the Castore deal amid familiar complaints regarding customer service and quality.
Speaking to Loaded Mag NUFC, journalist Jordan Cronin – who covers Newcastle United extensively for the likes of Newcastle World – had claimed that Castore are currently under the microscope.
Cronin also believed that Newcastle United might be aiming to secure Adidas such is the iconic relationship between the sportswear giant and the Tyneside outfit.
“They haven’t been able to deal with the demand of Newcastle United fans wanting shirts, and there is a possibility that Newcastle will explore an early exit from the Castore deal,” said Cronin.
“There’s certainly scope to get Castore out early and maybe go back to having that sentimental feeling of having Adidas on the shirt because obviously, we all remember Adidas from the ‘Entertainers’ years.”
Newcastle United CEO pushes back on Castore claims
Now, Darren Eales has rejected the suggestion in an interview with BBC Radio Newcastle.
The billionaire-backed CEO claimed that far from look to exit their deal with Castore, whom he has praised, Newcastle United are always looking at ways to improve their relationship with the retailer.
“I’ve just obviously started with the club, and Castore are our current partners,” said Eales.
“They’re our partners for, you know, a contractually-committed period.
They’re a company that I’m going to go and visit. I want to chat with them, and talk with them, and try to be the best partners that we can with them, and vice versa. I’m a great believer that it’s all about having that communication.
“From my perspective, we’ve got Castore as a partner that has shown commitment to the club from before I was here, before ownership was here.
“And, from my perspective, they’ve been great club partners, but we’ll always look, because you can always improve.
“It’ll be ‘how can we help Castore? How can Castore help the club?’. We’re working together, we’re partners. It’s great for both parties the better we can do.”
Rangers were Castore’s first partners in football and now the retailer has deals with the likes of Newcastle United, Wolves and Aston Villa in the Premier League, whilst they also boast contracts with Sevilla, Genoa and Bayer Leverkusen on the continent.
Meanwhile, one English club’s chairman is apparently “fuming” at a Rangers move.
