I saw worst kept secret at Anfield as Liverpool prepare for what comes next after Alexander Isak bid

I saw worst kept secret at Anfield as Liverpool prepare for what comes next after Alexander Isak bid

Theo Squires reports from Anfield as Liverpool and adidas start their partnership in style

(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)

It’s a new era at Liverpool Football Club. German sportswear giants Adidas are back as the club’s official kit partner, with the Reds adorning the famous three stripes for the third time in its history after their last partnership came to an end in 2012.

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At the time, Fenway Sports Group had just overseen their first full season in charge of the club. They had a first trophy to show for it too after lifting the League Cup.

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But having finished eighth in the table - their joint-lowest finish since last returning to the English top-flight all the way back in 1962 - it was clear that Liverpool were no longer the footballing giants they had been when first pairing up with Adidas in 1985.

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But how times change in the football cycle. Back in March, when revealing the ‘worst kept secret in football’ as Adidas teamed up with the Reds once more, Liverpool were marching towards the Premier League title.

They have had to wait five months for the partnership to officially get underway. In the meantime, the newly-crowned Premier League champions have enjoyed a record-breaking transfer window.

Breaking their own club-record to sign Florian Wirtz in a deal worth up to a British record £116m, their current outlay stands at £295m.

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But on the day Adidas officially took over as the Reds’ kit partner, Liverpool were further showcasing their intent as they made their move for long-time target Alexander Isak. Their £110m offer was rejected by Newcastle, but the player clearly wants the move and that Liverpool are in a position to smash the £400m barrier this summer shows the lofty position they find themselves in.

The new kit has been unveiled in the store but you can also shop it online (Image: Andy Teebay/Liverpool ECHO)

The Reds are spending like the Premier League champions. Having conquered England, the Champions League will be next in their sights, with their summer spending a signal of such intent.

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Admittedly, it has been a somewhat surreal summer in terms of Liverpool spending pre-season seeing out their contract with previous supplier, Nike, waiting for their partnership with Adidas to officially begin.

But plenty of work has been going on in the background in the meantime ahead of their 10-year partnership getting underway. And one which both parties will hope coincide with the club emerging as the continent's top force once more - like they were when first teaming up 40 years ago.

The Reds have spent the summer expanding and refurbishing their flagship club store at Anfield over the summer, having previously opened in 2017 as part of the Main Stand's £110m renovation.

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Such timing was inevitably with one eye on the start of the Adidas deal and Liverpool’s new kits being unveiled to the public.

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First teased just after midnight on August 1, the club posted a picture of the new Reds’ home shirt - akin with the gold Premier League winners’ badge and the trademark three Adidas stripes.

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Come 7am - two hours before the flagship store’s reopening - and the club’s official squad numbers for the campaign were revealed across social media.

Adidas bosses will have already been rubbing their hands with glee at the sight of Germany’s star player in Wirtz joining their latest club. Sure enough, he was heavily included in the promotion of the club’s new home kit - even taking his place alongside Mohamed Salah in donning the jersey on the front cover of Friday’s ECHO.

But for the playmaker to also be handed the iconic number seven shirt will have no doubt proven even sweeter for the powers that be at both club and sportswear giant.

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Supporters were queueing outside the Anfield club shop from 6.30am on Friday ahead of its official re-opening as they looked to get their hands on Liverpool’s latest shirts and training wear.

The ECHO were treated to a special tour around the shop ahead of its opening at 9am as the final finishing touches were put into place - with the new-and-improved store featuring a wider entrance, expansion of the mezzanine floor, relocation of the staircase and escalator to improve accessibility and the addition of more tills, which will now be cashless to better meet demands of a busy matchday crowd.

(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)

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At the front, you are greeted by a giant Liver bird in front of the aforementioned staircase, with Liverpool and Adidas logos aplenty, leaving you in no doubt about their latest partnership.

Within minutes of Adidas posting its own launch video at 8.51am, it was been screened on the big screen on the staircase.

But it was upstairs that was most fetching, with the majority of new kit and training wear, along with retro offerings, on display.

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It was pointed out how long-sleeved football shirts are now back on offer, having not previously been available under Nike’s watch.

And at the back of the shop, Wirtz’s number seven home shirt, along with Milos Kerkez’s number six away jersey and Alisson Becker’s number one goalkeeping top took pride and place above the shirt-printing area.

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Supporters outside would have been able to look in and see the Reds’ new shirts while waiting, well in advance of the shop officially opening its doors. And come 9am, their patience proved worth the wait.

Inevitably, ‘Wirtz 7’ shirts were most popular during the revamped shop’s opening hours.

As the largest official Liverpool FC store in the world, the club estimate that around one million supporters pass through the doors every season. The wider entrance and addition of more tills will already aid ever-growing numbers as the club continue to go from strength-to-strength off the pitch.

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Matchday revenue in the club's most recent financial results, which were released in February, rose by £22m to £102m for the 23/24 term. And now those figures are expected to increase once more after the latest redevelopment next to Anfield.

The next big test of the club shop is to come on Monday when Liverpool host Athletic Bilbao in this summer’s Anfield pre-season friendly. You wonder how much busier a shift it could end up being for club staff on the shirt-printing floor if the Reds managed to finalise a deal for Isak.

Admittedly, a little more patience will likely be required when it comes to the Swede. But having had to wait all summer for the Adidas deal to officially start, that is nothing new with Liverpool already well on their way to enjoying the fruit of its labours.

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