Newcastle United strike new agreement with Manchester City & Barcelona-linked partner

Newcastle United have teamed up with a new partner to help raise the club’s profile in China. As revealed by i News, the Magpies have sealed a new licensing deal with Chinese trading card company Daka.

The Shanghai-based business already works closely with fellow Premier League club Manchester City, plus European giants such as Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund, to design collectible cards signed by the players and create digital content.

The Magpies are keen to grow their fanbase in Asia as well as further strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia, a country which its majority owners the Public Investment Fund, hail from.

Later this week, United are set to announce a multi-year partnership with SAUDIA to become the club’s official airline partner. The two parties have worked together previously Eddie Howe’s side travelled to Riyadh for a week-long training camp in December.

Commenting on the partnership at the time, Chief Commercial Officer, Peter Silverstone, said: “Whilst Newcastle United is on an exciting and ambitious journey to grow our global reach and fanbase, we are also very focussed on growing our fan base and following in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Middle East.

“Our ambition is to become the most supported English Premier League football team in Saudi Arabia; a country whose population includes a large, young, passionate and highly engaged football community.

“We are delighted to partner with SAUDIA as our official tour airline partner, and we look forward to working with them during our trip to Riyadh and for the remainder of the 2022/23 English Premier League Season.”

In June, it was also announced Saudia Arabian events company Sela had signed a multi-year deal - believed to be worth £25million-a-year - to become Newcastle’s front-of-shirt-sponsor. Noon.com, Saudi Arabia’s answer to Amazon, are the the sleeve sponsor.