Chelsea announce £200m shirt deal with Yokohama Rubber Company

Premier League giants Chelsea have announced a new five-year kit sponsorship with Japanese tyre manufacturer Yokohama in a deal said to be worth £200m.

The company's brand name will appear on Blues jerseys from the start of next season, taking the place of Samsung, in the second-biggest shirt deal in English football history.

Chelsea are yet to release the financial details of the deal with the Yokohama Rubber Company, but it is understood to be £40m a year.

Club chairman Bruce Buck is quoted by The Independent as saying: "It is an absolute pleasure to welcome Yokohama as our new official shirt partner and we look forward to a successful relationship with them.

"Chelsea and Yokohama are a perfect fit. Both are global organisations with a focus on performance and innovation, as well as having huge ambition and an unwavering culture of success."

Only Manchester United have a more lucrative shirt deal, having netted £53m a year from their contract with Chevrolet.