Arsenal hopes dumping Nike for Puma will raise cash to end nine year barren spell

NIGERIAN football fans in the UK who support Arsenal will have to buy new tops next season as the north London premiership giants have changed their kit sponsors to Puma from Nike who they have been with for the last 20 years.
  Traditionally, Arsenal has always had the backing of the majority of Nigerian football fans in the UK and this number ballooned significantly in 1999 when former Super Eagles skipper Nwankwo Kanu joined the Gunners. Like most other Afro-Caribbeans in the UK, the 2m Nigerians in the country support the Gunners because it has a long tradition of featuring black players like Ian Wright, Michael Thomas, Kevin Campbell, David Rocastle,  Paul Davis, Thiery Henry, Nicholas Anelka, Patrick Viera, William Gallas and Sol Campbell.   Despite Arsenal not winning any silverware since 2005 when they lifted the English FA Cup, this support has remained solid. In a desperate bid to end the barren spell, Arsenal have decided to sign a five-year £150m sponsorship deal with Puma that will increase its annual revenue by £22m and provide more cash for player purchases.   It is estimated that the deal, which comes into effect on July 1, will result in manager Arsene Wenger having an increased budget of £70m. As part of the package, which is the largest-ever contract in British football history, Arsenal will also offer Mr Wenger a new contract said to be worth £24m over three years, that  will take him into an unprecedented third decade at the club.   Since he took charge of Arsenal in 1996, Mr Wenger has been financially handcuffed in the transfer market following the strict spending criteria determined by the club's board. Even moving to a new stadium to get bigger crowds has not improved things as the Gunners are yet to win anything since moving to their current Emirates Stadium in 2006.   Ivan Gazidis, Arsenal's chief executive, said:  “The money will begin to flow in July and will be available for us to invest in the team. “We have always been committed to Arsene and he’s always been committed to the club.   “I’m sure Arsene will commit his future to the club and we will commit ours to his. We will invest in not just big-name signings but also right across the club in the youth academy, scouting network, facilities, etc."   Mr Wenger's contract is due to expire at the end of the current season and him signing a new one will mean extending his 18-year tenure at the club. Arsenal hopes renewing his contract and its new relationship with Puma will finally put it on an equal financial footing with some of Europe’s biggest clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Bayern Munich.