Everton cut ties with Russian companies as they plan to remove signages and also rebrand shirts.
Premier League club Everton have suspended their deal with Russian companies after an invasion over Ukraine.
According to reports the Merseyside will remove all signage and messages linked to USM owned by a Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, around the club and the training ground.
It his also stated that the club will cut their partnership with Megafon that sponsors the club’s women shirt as the shirts will be rebranded.
Sportscliffs understands that the Toffees matchday programme will also be reprinted without any link to Russian-backed sponsorship. According to Sky Sports News the entire rebranding move will cost the club around £500,000.
A statement from Everton read: “Everyone at Everton remains shocked and saddened by the appalling events unfolding in Ukraine.
“This tragic situation must end as soon as possible, and any further loss of life must be avoided.
“The players, coaching staff and everyone working at Everton is providing full support to our player Vitalii Mykolenko and his family and will continue to do so.”
Everton manager Frank Lampard addressed Usmanov’s involvement in the club by revealing the Russian billionaire was not part of the process to hire him as head coach at the end of January.
Lampard defended the club’s actions ever since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began last week – and highlighted Everton’s tribute to Ukraine before Saturday’s Premier League tie with Manchester City as a good example of the club’s work.
“Those reports are inaccurate,” said Lampard when asked if Usmanov played a role in his hiring. “My interview was with the board, with Mr (Farhad) Moshiri, the chairman (Bill Kenwright), Denise (Barrett-Baxendale) the CEO and others – but not Mr Usmanov. So that’s not accurate in that sense.
“In terms of what it changes in the short-term, I think we can see from the outside how we reacted as a club on Saturday against Manchester City and the steps that we make.
“Those are not my decisions, that’s the club from above me (showing) that we are doing the right thing as a club. And in the short-term I have had no doubt that we will react in the right way.
“Did it affect my training session this morning? No. Did it affect how we prepare for (Thursday’s FA Cup tie with) Boreham Wood? No. And that’s just where it’s at.”
