Chelsea Sign First-Ever Training Kit Sponsorship Deal

English Premier League club Chelsea yesterday officially announced that Thai energy drink company Carabao will become their first official official training wear partner.

Carabao was founded in 2002 by Thai folk singer and celebrity Aed Carabao. Carabao is an energy drink that was "inspired by the fighting spirit of an individual", according to the official website. The Carabao logo of a buffalo skull featuring a red bird is one of Thailand's most recognizable commercial symbols.

Chelsea Sign Three-Year Carabao Training Shirt Sponsorship Deal

The new Carabao deal is the first-ever training wear deal in the history of the Blues.

While Chelsea did not declared any financial details, The Nation reports that the new Chelsea Carabao sponsorship deal is worth £30m over three years (£10m / season). The Carabao logo will feature on Chelsea players' and staff Adidas training kits from the start of the 2016-17 season until at least 2018-19.

Chelsea joins English Premier League clubs such as Manchester United, who also have an official training wear sponsor. In reference to Chelsea's deal, Manchester United's deal with Aon is worth even more (£15m / season | £120m over eight seasons).

Announcing the agreement, Christian Purslow, Chelsea FC managing director, said: "We are delighted to form a new partnership with Carabao which represents the first time a football club has welcomed a new partner as its training wear sponsor."

"We are confident that adding Carabao to our family of global partners will, under Financial Fair Play rules, further enhance our competitiveness on the field while growing our popularity still further in Thailand where the club has always enjoyed incredible support. In return our global reach will help Carabao enter new markets and become synonymous with the Chelsea name."

Sathien Setthasit, Chairman and CEO of Carabao Group PLC, said: "I feel delighted to be a part of the Chelsea family. For the past 10 years Chelsea has been one of the greatest teams in the Premier League. We are looking to expand into the world market and have found Chelsea to be a good partner to take us worldwide. I believe the partnership between Chelsea and Carabao will take us to the world and help us become very famous from now on."

Carabao is not new in the world of football. The Thai energy company previously already signed a sponsorship deal with English Championship club Reading.