- It is believed that wolves had a similar problem last season, which was kept private
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Aston Villa are exploring short-term options to replace their kit manufacturer Castore, with the club reportedly looking to end their partnership.
The British sportswear brand has come under fire in recent days after it emerged that the team’s players had complained about the ‘wet look’ of their jerseys, which left them drenched in sweat within minutes of matchday action.
It is believed the shirts could impact the performance of Unai Emery’s side as they quickly become heavy with sweat. There are also growing concerns over the women’s team’s use of the kit as they begin their WSL campaign this weekend.
Mail Sport reported on Thursday that Wolves are said to have had similar concerns about their kit during the 2022-23 campaign, but these complaints have not been made public.
Villa have spoken to their equipment supplier about a replacement shirt as a top priority in the short term and are keen to put pressure on the manufacturer, although the issue could take weeks to resolve.
Aston Villa is preparing to end its partnership with Castore after equipment concerns
The shirts seem to get soaked within minutes of the match and put a lot of strain on the players
It is believed that the Aston Villa women’s team recently completed a pre-season practice kit due to sweat retention issues
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From Telegraph SportsHowever, the club and Castore are preparing to agree an early end to their contracts in the wake of the controversy.
Talks are said to have taken place between the two parties in an attempt to find a way out of the multi-year deal, which was signed in May 2022.
A spokesperson for Castore shared a statement on Thursday acknowledging that time is of the essence to find a solution to the issues facing both the men’s and women’s teams.
“There has been media speculation about a possible problem with the football kit that Castore supplied to Aston Villa football club,” the statement said. ‘We are working closely with the club to address this issue as quickly as possible and meet the standards we expect. We would like to thank the club for their patience and support thus far.
‘As a proud new British brand, we always adhere to the highest standards and strive to do everything we can to continually improve the performance of our products. This means all customer concerns are addressed quickly and humbly.”
Villa were unable to compete last season due to a combination of factors, including the change in shirt sponsorship over the summer and the lack of availability of enough jerseys for both sides.
A source close to an Aston Villa men’s player said that after a few minutes the effect of wearing the shirt feels like ‘jumping into a pool’, with the players appearing visibly soaked while wearing the kit.
Lionesses star Rachel Daly, who won the WSL Golden Boot with the Villans last season, tweeted that the women’s side had worn training kit during a recent friendly, although her comment was later deleted from X (formerly Twitter).
BBC commentator Jacqui Oatley expressed her concerns to Mail Sport, saying the players are ‘afraid’ of wearing the kit when they start their season against Manchester United on Sunday.
“They dread playing in it for obvious reasons,” Oatley said. ‘No woman I know wants to be hot and sweaty and have their sports gear stuck to everything, especially live on television.
A source close to a male Villa player compared the shirt to ‘jumping into a pool’
Wolves are believed to have had similar problems last season, but these have not been made public
Newcastle will complete their partnership with Castore at the end of the season, although the club have released a statement claiming this is not due to quality issues
‘It just shouldn’t happen. Personally, I think these women need a different uniform to play in. However they do it, I definitely think they need to come up with a solution before Sunday.”
When considering new sportswear partners to supply first-team kit, Villa could look to German brand Adidas – with co-owner Nassef Sawiris owning a stake in the label.
Premier League rivals Newcastle made the switch from Castore to Adidas in a new deal that will see the iconic sportswear brand supply the Magpies with kit from the 2024-25 season, although the Tyneside club denied on Thursday that their deal had come to an end due to quality issues .
Newcastle are expected to receive around £40 million per year from Adidas, a significant increase on their partnership with Castore, which was estimated at £5 million per year.