Southampton could now join Bristol City in making a major decision midway through the 2022/23 campaign.
What is the history?
Well, both the Saints and the Robins were associated with Hummel.
The Danish sportswear brand signed a five-year contract with Southampton in 2021, providing kits for the 2021/22 campaign, as well as the current 2022/23 season.
However Hummel, who also supplied kits for Bristol City, went bankrupt in November and the Championship side are now taking action.
Bristol City have already made the decision to carry out their new partnership with O’Neills and wear next season’s kit for the remainder of the current campaign.
This is because the Robins were concerned that there would not be enough Hummel kits available for their players for the remainder of the season, according to Footy Headlines.
Now, it remains to be seen if Southampton do the same, although the Saints could decide to make a similar decision.
If Southampton decide to take similar steps to Bristol City, they would become the first Premier League team in history to completely change their kit mid-season.
Southampton have another reason to copy Bristol City
Apart from the risk of losing their players’ shirts, Southampton have another reason for making a decision similar to Bristol City’s: from a marketing point of view.
Supporters find themselves re-engaged with their beloved Saints after the significant 1-0 win over Chelsea, as a tactical masterclass from Ruben Selles gave Southampton hope in the relegation battle.
As a result, there may now be a greater desire from fans to buy jerseys, although after Hummel went bankrupt there have been stock issues.
Bristol Live mentions that the Robins opted to terminate his contract early after facing stock issues over the Christmas period, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see Southampton change their kit as well.
In other news, Joe Cole now delivers the verdict for Arsenal’s title after Mikel Arteta’s side reclaim first place.