Harry Kane is forced to wait for a new starter contract as big brands prioritize the signing of new Premier League goalscoring sensation Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
Kane, 29, has a previous contract with Nike and is set to renew his current contract with the American sports giant after the World Cup final in November, which is a major marketing event for football brands.
Haaland, 22, who is the subject of a bidding war to get him under contract, is the shoemakers’ most wanted player and they are planning their budgets accordingly to try and get him on board, even though Norway will not be in Qatar this winter.
Despite his record as the Golden Boot winner at the 2018 tournament, Kane hasn’t been picked up by any of Nike’s rivals, including Adidas, Puma and New Balance. The starter contract market is only lucrative for the most high-profile players, with even top stars earning sums that are dwarfed by their club wages. Post-Covid, even those deals have dwindled as sports brands mobilize smaller budgets.
Nonetheless, the most marketable names have always commanded Haaland’s biggest deals and impact on the Premier League this season – and the general fascination around the player and his distinctive style is seen as a major asset in the industry. Others like Paul Pogba and David Beckham in the past have generated similar interest despite not necessarily being the leading players of their generation.
Haaland’s Nike contract has expired and the player has worn different brands this season. He most often wears Nike boots, including in the Champions League draw against his former club Borussia Dortmund on September 14, when he scored a spectacular flying volley with his left foot. This shoe, the bright yellow Mercurial Vapor 14 from Nike, has been his boot of choice this season, although at different times he has worn Adidas and been seen in Puma.
