Chelsea FINALLY secure a front of shirt sponsor as Blues ink deal with AI provider – but there’s a catch!

Chelsea‘s long wait for a shirt sponsor is over after they signed a deal with an AI provider – although their name will only appear on their blue jerseys for the rest of this season.

The West London club have famously been without a long-term partner since the end of the 2022-23 when Three pulled out in the wake of Russia’ invasion of Ukraine and the sanctioning of former owner Roman Abramovich.

Short terms deal have since been agreed with Infinite Athlete and Damac Properties but the club is the only one in the Premier League to play without a sponsor on their jerseys this season.

One of the main issues was over the value of such a deal, with Cheslea thought to have been seeking around £65m per season.

IFS, who are described as ‘the world’s leading provider of industrial AI’ have been named as Principal Partner with immediate effect and their name will be on the front of shirt for the rest of this season. 

Their technology will also be rolled out across the club’s operations. The deal has been described as ‘multi-year’ but the company’s name will only feature on the shirts for the remainder of a campaign that has three months remaining.

‘We are incredibly proud to partner with IFS and leverage their leading edge AI software to help propel the club to even greater success,’ said Jason Gannon, Chelsea president. 

‘This partnership is a statement of intent to keep leading in this field, harnessing the opportunities advanced technology brings and unlocking the power of AI to improve everything we do on and off the pitch.’

Mark Moffat, chief executive officer of IFS, added: ‘In sport as in industry, the margins are small, the stakes are high, and the right decision at the right moment is everything. 

‘That’s what IFS Industrial AI delivers for the industries that power the global economy. Chelsea FC holds itself to that same uncompromising standard, and that shared ambition is exactly why we’re proud to be their Principal Partner.’

While the IFS name will come off Chelsea’s shirts at the end of the season, the deal will continue until 2028. The first game with the branding on the jerseys will be this weekend’s Premier League match with Burnley, and the women’s side’s FA Cup match with Manchester United on Sunday.

Insiders said the value of the deal was in line with the club’s expectations.