The battle to be Liverpool’s kit supplier is heading for London’s High Court as New Balance fight to retain the lucrative contract.



Rival sportswear giant Nike looked set to be announced as the club’s new partner from the start of next season after agreeing a bumper deal with the European champions, understood to be worth around £70 million per season — a £25 million per season increase on the current arrangement and comfortably the biggest in the club’s history.



However, The Athletic can exclusively reveal that New Balance are desperately trying to stop Liverpool from cutting their ties and linking up with Nike instead.



The current suppliers are adamant that they have triggered their right to match Nike’s offer and should therefore be granted a contract extension with the Premier League leaders beyond May 2020. But Liverpool insist that is not the case and, as a result, New Balance have filed the dispute at the...