Could Liverpool switch to Adidas after Trent Alexander-Arnold deal as Nike agreement ticks down?

Eagle-eyed fans quickly spotted the chance that Trent Alexander-Arnold was donning at the Etihad Stadium.

And those who brokered his new Adidas deal could scarcely have asked for a better start to the new multi-million-pound arrangement. Wearing an unleased pair of Predators - the German sports brand's iconic boots - he fired home an 80th-minute equaliser that earned Liverpool a 1-1 draw against Manchester City.

In front of the world's cameras, Alexander-Arnold took one touch before arrowing a shot into the far corner. Comparisons with Kop legend Steven Gerrard were made. He too was sponsored by Adidas throughout his career.

Indeed, Liverpool's vice-captain has followed in the former skipper's footsteps. Alexander-Arnold opted to end his long association with Under Armour to join forces with Adidas - reportedly becoming one of the manufacturer's top-earning footballers.

In years gone by, Adidas has made some of the Reds' most famous shirts. Kits from 1985-1996 were made by the sports brand, memorably sponsored by Crown Paints, Candy and Carlsberg. Adidas then made a return between 2006-2012 after Liverpool had a stint with Reebok.

After the association with Adidas ended, US brand Warrior took over before being taken over by parent company New Balance. In that period, Liverpool claimed Champions League and Premier League glory and had re-established themselves as one of Europe's elite powers.

That saw Nike come knocking. In 2020, the Reds penned a lucrative deal with the brand synonymous with NBA legend Michael Jordan and 15-time golf major winner Tiger Woods among others. That's despite the agreement being less lucrative on the face of things. New Balance were offering £60 million per year while Nike offered a base rate of £30 million. However, importantly, the Reds earn 20% on shirt sales compared to the usual 7.5% given to teams.

"Liverpool have crunched the numbers and they estimate that there is a crossing point where they'll be better off with Nike, because Nike have got a much larger distribution network that they're able to tap into, and their other global stars such as Serena Williams and Drake and so on," football finance expert told Kieran Maguire.

Football Insider reported earlier this year that Liverpool net in excess of £70 million per year from their Nike deal.

The current agreement is due to expire in 2025 and with Adidas investing heavily in Alexander-Arnold - the heir apparent to the captaincy when Virgil van Dijk eventually departs - some fans may be wondering if they could now strike terms to join forces again with Liverpool.

However, in truth, it is unlikely. Adidas already manufacture Manchester United's kits, having signed a world record £900 million deal over 10 years last July. What's more, they agreed to a £1.4billion deal over 12 years with Real Madrid in 2019 while Lionel Messi remains sponsored by them. Those three agreements alone will be a significant chunk of their budget taken up, with Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Juventus also on their books. What's more, Mo Salah dons Adidas while Jurgen Klopp has his own personal endorsement deal.

Meanwhile, Liverpool's deal with Nike has proven highly fruitful so far. They have collaborated with projects with NBA icon Lebron James, as well as Converse. And if the Reds were to re-sign, an improvement on the current terms is almost certain.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo during the' pre-season tour of Singapore, chief executive Billy Hogan revealed how happy the club were extremely satisfied with Nike. He said: “(We’re) Very happy. When we kicked off the partnership, we were really excited about the impact that Nike can have on a global basis and the marketing opportunities they bring.

“We are really happy with the sales of the new kit and the design of the kit. In fact, the new home kit this year has been one of the highest rated from supporters in surveys that we’ve done.

“We have a couple of years left with the deal and we’ll get to the conversation about renewing when appropriate. But, certainly, we are very happy where we are with Nike at the moment.”