YES! WE HAVE A NEW DEAL:Barcelona ink new lucrative jersey contract

Barcelona's president Josep Maria Bartomeu (L) and CEO of Japanese company Rakuten Hiroshi Mikitani display the FC Barcelona's new jersey after signing an agreement between FC Barcelona and Rakuten Inc., at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on November 16, 2016. Japanese online retailer Rakuten will be Barcelona's main sponsor for the next four years, the Spanish giants said on Npovember 16, 2016. Rakuten will replace Qatar Airways which has been Barcelona's shirt sponsor since 2013. / AFP PHOTO /

Spanish giants FC Barcelona sealed a massive shirt sponsorship deal on Wednesday with Japanese online retailer Rakuten worth at least $59 million (Sh6billion) a year.

One of world football’s most lucrative shirt sponsorship deals sees Japan’s leading e-commerce company replace Qatar Airways, Barcelona’s shirt sponsor since 2013, confirming Asia’s appetite for major investment in European football.