Rangers’ kit deal with Castore is the subject of much scrutiny as it prepares to run out come the end of the current season.
The Gers are also entering a new era of retail at Ibrox after finally settling a tumultuous period of court cases and retail wrangles by shaking hands with Elite and Hummel.
With the influence of Sports Direct and the threat of long-running court battles now officially over, Rangers’ largely successful initial five-year deal with Castore is almost up.
But as Rangers fans eagerly await an update on the situation, Castore have now lost yet another official footballing partner just months after posting substantial losses.
Castore’s growth is driven by Rangers’ success.
Castore was open about using the Rangers deal’s success as leverage when negotiating with other football gear suppliers.
Although the retailer, who is supported by Andy Murray, has expanded into several sports, Rangers was the ambitious group’s first football venture.
In the midst of those retail conflicts with Mike Ashley and Hummel/Elite, Rangers struck the arrangement, which at first proved to be very successful.
Rangers and Castore have both achieved retail records in recent seasons, with Castore managing the challenges of the Covid epidemic in 2020 to meet the huge demand.
However, Castore’s life has not gone as planned outside of Ibrox, as his reputation has suffered with the loss of two significant Premier League contracts.
Rangers has now entered into talks on the future of the club’s retail activities, shattering another of their significant European alliances.
Castore loses a key Bundesliga partner
Initially, Newcastle United terminated their agreement with the retailer to sign with Adidas, and then Aston Villa severed their relationship with the brand because of problems with the material’s ability to retain players’ perspiration.
With Kicker saying that the retailer’s agreement with the German champions from the previous season has been “ripped up,” it appears like Bundesliga powerhouse Bayer Leverkusen may soon follow suit.
In order to join with New Balance, Bayer Leverkusen has negotiated an early termination with Castore, even though their contract with the Bundesliga team was set to expire in 2027.
With Bayer Leverkusen expected to earn between €6 million (£5 million) and €7 million (£5.85 million) every season from New Balance, the new agreement is expected to feature a “seven-figure” annual rise on the Castore contract.
The predicament follows Castore’s shocking £29 million losses for the previous fiscal year, which the UK retailer attributed to problems with the “supply chain.”
Heart & Hand, a prominent Rangers fan media outlet, has previously asserted that the Ibrox retail arrangement has been “put out to tender” with no contract decision having been made.
Ex-Rangers player makes stunning comeback following a poor 12-game run with Sunderland.
Michael Beale returned to coaching for the first time in nine months.
Former Rangers manager Michael Beale has agreed to return to football as Steven Gerrard’s new assistant coach at struggling Saudi Pro League club Al Ettifaq.
Beale has been out of work since being fired as manager of Sunderland in February, and he is eager to rebuild his reputation following a disastrous 2023/24 season that also saw him lose his job as manager of Rangers in November.
The 48-year-old has been signed to replace Dean Holden as Gerrard’s number two at the Al-Ettifaq Club Stadium following the former Charlton manager’s decision to quit the club by mutual agreement.
Beale, who has previously coached at Chelsea, Sao Paulo, and Liverpool, met Gerrard at Rangers and was a crucial member of the coaching team when the Light Blues won the Premiership title in 2020/21.
He then followed Gerrard to Aston Villa just months after winning the title, where he lasted for six months before embarking on his own management career with Queens Park Rangers.
Beale won nine of his first 22 games at Loftus Road, surpassing expectations at a time when many predicted the club’s relegation.
He returned to management with Sunderland a month later, but after a disappointing start in which he won only four of his 12 games, he was fired.
Beale joins Al-Ettifaq, who are now 12th out of 18 teams in the Saudi Pro League despite receiving enormous support.
They’ve lost five of their ten league games this season, including four defeats in their past five.Former England captain Gerrard was booed by his own fans after losing 2-0 to local rivals Al Qadsiah earlier this month, and Beale is already under pressure to help the Liverpool legend turn things around in Dammam.
Derek Ferguson is unhappy but not surprised to learn that there appears to be little likelihood of a Rangers takeover in the foreseeable future.
Dave King has proposed a return to Ibrox as chairman in order to attract investment from Saudi Arabia and the United States, but the existing board appears to have rejected his offer.
And reports of takeover interest from the Far East have not materialised, with Chris Jack stating for Rangers Review on 11 October that a change of ownership is not on the cards, and any new funds are expected to come from present investors.
John Halsted has undertaken “detailed” conversations about increasing his interest in the club [Daily Record, 29 October], but after numerous seasons of mismanagement in Govan, the prospect of maintaining the status quo has not been welcomed with much hope.
Celtic continue to lead both financially and on the pitch, although it has been alleged that the Rangers board is not particularly interested in exploring potential investment opportunities [Alan Brazil via talkSPORT, 31 October].
In that environment, Ferguson has urged the Ibrox administration to meet with whoever is willing to put in the cash and make some concessions in order to secure the best deal.
John Halsted hosts new Rangers investment talks.
He told the news outlet Ibrox News exclusively that a takeover is not anticipated, saying, “It’s disappointing but it’s not a big surprise.”
I’m not sure why they don’t come together, talk to these investors, and find out exactly what they’re looking for.
“You need to sit down and have that talk if they plan to put money into the club.
However, it appears from the outside that they have little interest in continuing in the same direction, which is disappointing.
Since these folks are prosperous businessmen in their own right, it’s difficult for me to say. But when it comes to football, that’s where the uncertainties arrive.
“If there is that interest, why wouldn’t you go, even to meet them?” I can’t get that out of my head. Go talk to them and take a seat.
However, we don’t hear that, so if they are Rangers fans—which they undoubtedly are—and you want the best for the team, then it’s evident that you care about them.
We must have a conversation with these individuals because we require investment. For this reason, I believed that Dave King was merely trying to get us back to a specific level, even though I knew it was only a two-year plan.
However, it appears that they are not even interested in having that conversation with Dave.
It’s a huge letdown because we’re hoping for something to offer us a glimmer of optimism, but that’s just the way things are. And that hope just seems to be dashed at every chance.
Since these folks are prosperous businessmen in their own right, it’s difficult for me to say. But when it comes to football, that’s where the uncertainties arrive.
“If there is that interest, why wouldn’t you go, even to meet them?” I can’t get that out of my head. Go talk to them and take a seat.
However, we don’t hear that, so if they are Rangers fans—which they undoubtedly are—and you want the best for the team, then it’s evident that you care about them.
They say, ‘No, we’re not going to let you in, we’ve got our own wee clique.'” And it doesn’t appear that way.
“I’m not really sure where to take it. Accepting investment seems obvious to me, but only within reason, as these guys have certain needs when they arrive.
“It’s a worry, but sometimes you have to give a little to get that success.”
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