Top 7 European teams 2016/17 kits that have been reportedly leaked

An estimated $5 billion industry, football shirt sales are a vital part of a club’s annual revenue stream. Rumours that shirt sales of David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo underwrote a significant portion of the transfer fee Real Madrid paid for them might not be wide of the mark.With that much at stake, it’s no surprise that kits are big business for Europe’s top clubs. However, apart from the financial side of things, a kit is a club’s foremost identity, the one piece of garment that a fan wears to identify with his heroes strutting about on the pitch.As such, there is great anticipation of what colours and designs will adorn the club’s players. Despite months to go before the 2016/17 season has started, a few kits have already been leaked.Here are 7 leaked kits of Europe’s top teams

#1 Real Madrid

Real Madrid have incorporated elements of their iconic away colours into their next kit

Los Blancos might not be pure white next season. While the club have retained their iconic white shirt, they have decided to add some pizzazz to their austere colours by including purple stripes along the sides of the kit. Given the dash of purple, Los Merengues might be a far more apt moniker for Spain’s premier club in Madrid.

Given that Adidas will pay a mammoth €1 billion euros over ten years to supply Real Madrid with their kits, the German sportwear manufacturer are pulling no stops in ensuring that the Los Blancos walk out on to the pitch with the utmost attention paid to the finest of details, such as a traditional polo collar that will be accented with the club lettering around the back.

The above shirt will be paired with white shorts and socks, with similar purple accents.

Here is a rendering of the Real’s next kit, which is a rather subdued one, despite the addition of purple accents, which haven’t been seen on a Real Madrid kit since 2007/08

#2 Manchester United

Manchester United have drawn from history in their next home kit design

Manchester United and Adidas signed a mammoth kit deal worth £750 million over 10 years in 2014. Given that the Red Devils are estimated to have sold the second highest number of shirts in the world last season, Adidas might be expected to not take any undue risks in upsetting fans of Manchester United with an unconventional design.

However, the German clothing company have shown that they have an eye on the pulse of those supporting Manchester United round the world. With the club’s origins at Newton Heath receiving great attention in the form of the green and yellow scarves being worn by the Old Trafford faithful in the past few seasons, Adidas have opted for a similar half-and-half design, using two shades of red.

United have also moved to a modern collar design, with two white stripes down the sides, as can be seen in the renderings below

The above shirt will feature in conjunction with United’s traditional white shorts and black socks, which may inlude red accents as well.

#3 Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich’s kit next season will feature a red and white colour motif

The Bavarian giants penned a record breaking contract with Adidas until 2030, which is not a surprise given that Bayern Munich have only ever worked with Adidas in their entire history. The Germans sported a red-on-red design this season, and have looked to have moved away from those colours next season.

While there is no leaked image of the kit, the usually reliable Footy Headlines have created an artist’s impression of the shirt, based on descriptions they have obtained from their sources. Carlo Ancelotti’s men will take to the Allianz Arena in their traditional red shirt which will feature white accents, such as vertical stripes along the sides, with the collars and sleeves rounded off with white as well.

The shirt will also feature a spiffy horizontal pin stripe pattern, which is a quite subtle shade of red. Bayern will pair the above shirt with white shorts and red socks, in a move away from the overly red kit they donned this season.

#4 Chelsea

Chelsea will sport a rather modern look next season

Chelsea have risen among the shirt sales ranks in the last few seasons, having seen their revenues grow exponentially, especially in Asia. Hence, the London club can command a sizable fee from Adidas for being their kit supplier, and the Germans will ensure that their design next season will be appreciated much more than the current one.

As there hasn’t been a picture of the kit leaked in physical form, we have to make do with an artist’s impression. According to Footy Headlines, Chelsea have dropped the much unloved ‘Tyres’ word from their Japanese shirt sponsor, opting for a much more classy logo design.

The Londoners have also drawn on their heritage, as the Chelsea lion will feature in a diamond pattern throughout the shirt, although with subtle shades. A faux collar will feature on the shirt, which will be paired with blue shorts and white socks as well.

#5 Juventus

Juventus will move away from a traditional design next season

The Bianconeri signed a kit deal with Adidas this season, after a long association with Nike, although the German’s first attempt at a Juventus kit was criticized for being ‘too white’. It seems Adidas took the criticism to heart, as they have moved to a predominantly black kit while retaining the iconic stripes that the Turin-based club are known for.

With no picture of the physical kit yet available, Footy Headlines released a rendering detailing the changes in Juventus’ kit next season. The narrow black and white stripes that usually adorned the Juventus jersey are gone, replaced by thick black stripes down the middle.

Jeep continue to occupy the centre of the shirt, although in opposite colours, while the above shirt will be paired with black and white shorts and socks, away from the plain white shorts and socks that Juventus wore this season.

#6 Barcelona

Barcelona will return to vertical stripes next season

The Blaugrana raised quite a few eyeballs as they experimented with a horizontally striped kit design made by Nike this season, but also copped some criticism for the deviation from tradition. It seems the Catalan club have learned their lesson, with a return to vertical stripes with a pin-stripe design over their classic red and blue shades.

The kit was leaked by the reliable Todo sobre Camisetas, although what might lead someone to question the veracity of this kit is the lack of a shirt sponsor. Barcelona’s contract with Qatar runs out this season, and with the Catalan club yet to confirm a renewal or a new shirt sponsor, the leaked design evokes memories of years past with a very pristine, retro look.

The above shirt will be paired with blue shorts and socks, the same shade as that of the home shirt, which is a lighter shade of blue than the current one.

#7 Arsenal

Arsenal will sport their traditional colours next season

‘Red shirt, white sleeves’ – Designing Arsenal’s kit comes with a simple brief, and after years of Nike messing up the home kit design, Puma have opted to play it safe, making very minor changes to the oft praised home kit that Arsenal wore this season.

The Arsenal twitterverse are a well informed lot, and user @MemzDogi who has previously leaked accurate images of kits in the past, revealed Arsenal’s next kit with a tweet, which @ArsenalEdits made a render of.

The 1st photo of the new 2016-17 Arsenal home shirt. pic.twitter.com/GmRUaY9CyH

— Memz Dogi (@Memz_Dogi) February 3, 2016

The shirt features a darker red stripe running through the middle, which is the largest change, while also sporting a unique ‘navy-styled’ collar. The home shirt will be paired with white shorts and socks, in keeping with the Gunner’s tradional looks.