Chelsea and Adidas agree to end sponsorship deal six years early ahead of move to competitor

Former Premier League champions will end deal next year, having been supplied by the sportswear supplier for a decade

Chelsea striker Diego Costa modelling the new home strip, which will be the last in the club's deal with Adidas

Chelsea and sportswear giant Adidas will terminate their longstanding partnership at the end of the 2016-17 season, six years earlier than originally planned.

Both parties made the announcement on Wednesday, saying it was a mutual agreement. Adidas has been a sponsor and sportswear supplier of Chelsea since 2006.

The German company said in a statement that it will receive compensation from Chelsea to end the deal early, allowing the Premier League club to “enter a new equipment agreement with a competitor.” That competitor is believed to be Nike, although no official announcement has been made.

The original deal, reportedly worth £290m, was announced in 2013. The sportswear company also hold a similar deal with Manchester United as well as sponsoring Champions League finalists Real Madrid and Italian side Milan.

Individual players Lionel Messi, Paul Pogba and Gareth Bale are among the stars who hold their own deals with the German manufacturers.

Chelsea unveiled their new adidas shirt for the 2016/17 campaign last week, but the designs have been criticised by supporters, for both the style and the cost - with the adult replica shirt costing £90 alone.

They will wear the shirt for the first time when they welcome new champions Leicester City to Stamford Bridge this Sunday.

Their £200m main shirt sponsorship deal with Yokohama Tyres will continue, along with images of the lion from the Chelsea badge.

"Chelsea can confirm we have mutually agreed to end our longstanding partnership," a club statement read.

"We would like to thank Adidas for their fantastic support and cooperation over the past 10 years. In that time the club has lifted the Champions League, Europa League, two Premier League titles, four FA Cups and two League Cups, and we look forward to a successful final year of partnership."