Nike and Adidas Reportedly Battle for Mega Manchester United Sponsorship Deal

Manchester United are set to secure a kit deal worth over £70 million per year from either Nike or adidas, which are locked in a battle to land a record contract. 

As reported by Ian Ladyman of the Daily Mail, the two sportswear giants are also joined by Warrior and Puma in a race to produce the Premier League champions' apparel starting from the 2015-16 season:

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Sportsmail can reveal that the battle for United’s next kit reached fever pitch this week with rival companies adidas, Warrior and Puma all attending meetings with commercial director Richard Arnold to pitch for the deal.

United’s current suppliers Nike are favourites to renew the present contract that runs at £23.5m-a-year and expires in 2015.

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Ladyman's report also features the analysis of an industry insider, who confirmed United will welcome rival bids in order to raise as much money as possible:

"This is great news for United as the more serious interest they attract from rival competitors, the higher the numbers they will manage to eventually get on the contract," said the source.

United's new deal could be worth up to £350 million across five years, eclipsing the £30 million-per-year record Arsenal recently set when the Gunners signed with Puma, as reported by the club's official website.

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During an interview with CNN World Sport, Gunners chief executive Ivan Gazidis recently suggested this deal would allow Arsenal to "compete with the very best," so United's investment is also likely to help the club match the financial demands of signing world-class players.

This is certainly good news for David Moyes, who recently confirmed, per the club's official Twitter account, that he is looking to capture major talent after the signing of Juan Mata:

United have previously worn Admiral, adidas and Umbro shirts across their history, before the switch to Nike in 2002, as brilliantly recorded by Historical Kits.

Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are the most famous clubs to currently don adidas' three-striped logo, while Puma's leading deal remains with Borussia Dortmund.

Warrior's £25 million-per-year deal with Liverpool smashed the English record when it arrived in 2011, as reported by the Daily Mail. As Arsenal's recent agreement and United's prospective numbers show, prices involved are only set to increase across the coming years.

Despite a disappointing campaign by United's standards—one that is unlikely to yield a place in next season's Champions League—the Red Devils will be pleased to see their pulling power is yet to wear off.

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Many expected a post-Sir Alex Ferguson comedown on the pitch, but future troubles may be eradicated with the help of a sponsorship agreement that could float mega money into Old Trafford.