Liverpool and Reebok sign six-year football kit deal worth up to £100m

Liverpool Football Club has signed a six-year sponsorship deal with Reebok worth up to £100m as it seeks to emulate Manchester United and turn itself into a global brand.

The deal extends the existing seven-year relationship between the privately-owned Premiership club and the world's second-largest sports footwear maker. No break-down of the deal's financial structure was provided though the guaranteed payments are relatively low, with most of the payments dependent on commercial success. As part of the tie-up, Liverpool aims to establish lucrative businesses in Asia and the United States, where football is growing rapidly in popularity. The club toured Asia in 2001 and plans another trip this year.

Reebok said it would establish business units in Asia and the US to drive its relationship with Liverpool forward. It said the deal was less about selling replica football shirts and more about developing interest in Liverpool at grassroots level.

It plans to start Liverpool Youth Academies in the US where women's football is growing particularly fast.

"This is as much about branding and about how you take LFC globally as it is about sponsorship of kit," said Martin Coles, president and chief executive of Reebok Brand.

Rick Parry, Liverpool's chief executive, described the deal as "the biggest we have ever signed".

However, it is worth substantially less than the 13-year £300m deal between Manchester United and Nike signed last year.

Asked whether the financial turmoil at Leeds United had alarmed other clubs, Mr Parry said: "I think a lot of the doom and gloom is as much overdone as the hype was previously."