The 90’s: New Kit unveil takes Chelsea back in time

Chelsea Football Club has revealed their new home kit for the upcoming 2023/24 season, paying homage to their successful 1997/98 campaign.

However, despite the excitement surrounding the kit launch, the club has announced that fans will have to wait to get their hands on one.

The design of the new kit draws inspiration from the 90s era and is a tribute to Chelsea’s European triumph in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, as well as their League Cup victory during the same season.

The club statement highlights the presence of legendary players like Gianfranco Zola, Dennis Wise, and Roberto Di Matteo, who all played a crucial role in those memorable victories under the management of Gianluca Vialli.

The new home kit for Chelsea features the traditional royal blue color, complemented by gold detailing and a 90s-style iridescent crest, creating a nostalgic feel for fans.

However, the excitement among supporters quickly turned to disappointment when the club disclosed that the new kit would not be available for purchase immediately. In a follow-up tweet, Chelsea announced that fans can buy the kit from August 16th, either online or through the Megastore at Stamford Bridge.

Notably, Chelsea currently lacks a shirt sponsor following the conclusion of their deal with Three. Speculation arose regarding potential sponsors, with fans wondering if Nintendo would occupy the front-of-shirt space, given that Paramount+ reportedly faced restrictions in doing so.

Fans have now begun speculating whether the delay in selling the shirts until three days after the opening Premier League game against Liverpool is connected to the ongoing sponsorship saga. Disgruntled supporters criticized the club for not securing a shirt sponsor despite having a year to arrange it and expressed disappointment at the kit’s unavailability before the start of the season.

Some supporters also noted that the delay could be due to the potential preference of new sponsors for all shirts to bear their name, thus necessitating more time for the agreement to be finalized.

This season’s kit will mark the first time Chelsea players wear it under the guidance of new manager Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentine coach is already overseeing the team’s preparations during the pre-season period.

As the new season approaches, Chelsea fans eagerly await the availability of the new kit, hoping that it will bring renewed success to their team following a challenging 12th-place finish in the previous campaign.

In the meantime, discussions and speculation surrounding the potential shirt sponsorship deal continue to captivate supporters.