Newcastle United defend kit manufacturer Castore amid Aston Villa ‘wet look’ complaints

Aston Villa players have reportedly complained about the quality of their matchday shirts this season. Concerns from Villa’s players centre around Castore’s ‘wet look’ design that seemingly traps sweat and weighs them down during games.

Castore, who signed a multi-year deal with the Villains in 2022, a year after becoming Newcastle United’s kit manufacturer, have been asked to rectify the issue quickly with concerns on how these shirts will affect both the men’s and women’s teams coming to the fore in recent times. Speaking about the issue, Villa’s director of football operations Damien Vidagany said: “It’s true we have a problem with the shirt, because clearly the material is not absorbing the sweat.

“We have a situation and the marketing department is dealing with the supplier to try to change it. It is not a question that concerns the manager, it is for the business side.”

Newcastle United, meanwhile, have publicly defended Castore this week, stating:

“Newcastle United has been made aware of a national media report regarding its kit partnership with Castore. The club has found the quality of Castore products to be extremely high.

“We are proud to be wearing Castore’s well-designed, innovative training and match kits in the Premier League and Champions League and are appreciative of Castore’s support and contribution to the club’s trajectory over the last three seasons.”

United will have their kits made by Adidas from the beginning of next season after signing a deal worth around £40m, ending their three-year partnership with Castore.