Arsenal confirm ‘exciting’ surprise commercial deal, Edu Gaspar believes it’s ‘important’

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Arsenal did not recruit any players in yesterday’s transfer deadline day, but did announce a new deal today.

The club have officially confirmed that Dubai-based property developer Sohba Realty, has bought the naming rights of Arsenal’s London Colney training ground.

From today, the training facilities for the men’s, women’s and academy side’s training facilities at London Colney will now be known as the Sohba Realty Training Centre.

In a partnership which will also include sleeve sponsors on the training kits, Arsenal are set to benefit both financially and through the company’s expertise as they aim to restructure the layout of some of their facilities.

Arsenal rename London Colney Training Centre

Club sporting director Edu Gaspar has expressed his delight at the new partnership, and has explained the importance of the deal with Arsenal club media.

“This is a very exciting agreement that will help us develop the best possible environment for our men’s and women’s players, coaches and support staff for years to come,” he stated.

“Our training centre is a big part of our people’s lives. It’s not just about working hard on the pitches, but also working in our office spaces, learning, relaxing and spending time with teammates, colleagues and their families.

“We are building a winning team and a winning culture, attention to detail is very important and it’s crucial our people have the right conditions to prepare well and perform at their best.”

When did Arsenal move into London Colney?

This deal is a historic one and the first of it’s kind for Arsenal, as the training centre has been referred to as London Colney since it’s opening in October 1999.

The training facilities are some of the best in the Premier League, and London Colney itself resembles a significant time in Arsenal’s history. Arsene Wenger’s discovery, development, and later sale of Nicolas Anelka for a huge profit to Spanish giants Real Madrid notably helped fund the development of the training facilities, as well as the arrival of club legend Thierry Henry.

With Arsenal moving from Highbury Stadium to The Emirates in 2006, sponsored names are not necessarily a new concept within the club, but whilst some fans may be sceptical about part of the club having their naming rights sold, the commercial benefits could be significant overall, and Arsenal are clearly keen on taking their sponsorship income to the next level.