Arsenal sign Deel deal with CEO who is fan of Champions League finalists PSG
HR firm Deel, whose chief executive supports rival Champions League final side Paris Saint-Germain, will replace Visit Rwanda on the sleeve of Arsenal’s kit.
The Gunners, currently top of the Premier League and on the verge of a first title in over 20 years, had initially looked to renew a long-standing deal with the tourism board of Rwanda, whose president Paul Kagame is an Arsenal fan.
But that plan was scuppered at the end of last year with the club concluding the controversial eight-year partnership in what was described as “mutually agreed”.
The African tourism arm will now be replaced by Deel, a payroll and HR platform, whose chief executive is a fan of Arsenal’s Champions League final opponents PSG.
“Next season Deel will become the official sleeve partner of Arsenal,” the firm’s chief Alex Bouaziz said. “When we partnered with Arsenal last year, we set out to build something lasting, starting with rolling out Deel across their workforce and HR operations.
“Having our name on one of the most iconic shirts in world football is the next step in that relationship. We made ‘Patchmaker’ with the club, a film featuring Viktor Gyokeres and Patrick Vieira.
“Yes, I’m a PSG fan. But like every French kid, I grew up dreaming in front of Arsene [Wenger], Titi [Thierry Henry] and the Invincibles!”
PSG fan in Arsenal deal
The deal comes ahead of the launch of Arsenal’s home kit for next season, which will be released on Friday.
Deel’s agreement has faced some backlash due to the company’s links to Israel – Bouaziz was born in Paris and went to college in the US but until recently lived in Tel Aviv. Deel has strongly denied allegations that it operates in Palestine territories.
Juliet Slot, Arsenal’s chief commercial officer, said: “Our iconic kit and sleeve is one of the most visible positions in world football, and we’re delighted to be welcoming Deel’s name there after they joined our family earlier this year.
“Deel will support how we operate as a club as we enter this next chapter in our relationship. All our partnerships play a direct role in delivering our long-term ambition to win major trophies in a financially sustainable way.”