Wednesday 16 November 2016 14:26, UK
Japanese online retailer Rakuten will be Barcelona's main sponsor for the next four years, the Spanish giants have announced.
Rakuten will replace Qatar Airways, Barcelona's shirt sponsor since 2013, who were reported to have paid £30million for the final year of their deal taking them up to the end of the 2016-17 season.
They have signed a four-season deal - with an option to extend to a fifth - worth reportedly £50m a year.
"I have the pleasure and honour to announce that the board of directors has approved that Rakuten be the new main and global sponsor of the club for the next four years," Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu told a news conference at the club's Camp Nou stadium.
The deal will commence from next season with Rakuten's logo on the shirts of some of the world's best players, including Lionel Messi and Neymar.
The announcement of the new sponsorship deal comes as the club is set to begin work in 2018 on an extensive renovation of their Camp Nou home that will see the capacity of Europe's biggest stadium extended to 105,000 and an open facade to allow views across the city.
A budget of £360m has been estimated for the project that will be financed in large part by proceeds from sponsors.
