Football
ESPN staff 6y

Manchester United's Romelu Lukaku signs record Puma sponsorship deal

Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku has signed a multiyear sponsorship with Puma that sources told ESPN is the largest endorsement deal in company history.

Lukaku did not have a boot supplier last season, with manager Jose Mourinho suggesting in November that his lack of reliable footwear was the reason for a goalscoring drought.

But Lukaku scored three goals for Belgium while wearing Puma One boots in the World Cup warm-ups earlier this month and will continue wearing them once the team opens the competition in Russia on Monday against Panama.

"Choosing on an exclusive sportswear brand to work with is an important decision, not just for the boots on the pitch but for my goals and desires off of it," Lukaku said in a statement released by Puma. "I look forward to hustling with the big cat in the future."

Lukaku, who moved to United before the start of last season and scored 26 goals in all competitions, was sponsored by Nike while with Everton, but he tried to leverage a more valuable deal following his £75 million transfer by wearing a number of suppliers' boots during games.

He became the first Premier League player represented by Roc Nation Sports, founded by Jay-Z, when he hired the agency in April, and the entertainment mogul's affinity for the brand has helped it enjoy a resurgence in the marketplace.

United signed a 10-year, £750m kit deal with Adidas in 2014 that began with the 2015-16 season.

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