[Sky News, Mark Kleinman] CMC Markets, which has a market value of around £1bn, is in advanced negotiations over front of shirt deals with Everton and Fulham that could be worth a total of around £50m over three years

CMC Markets, the London-listed financial services group run by Lord Cruddas, the former Conservative Party treasurer, is in talks about multimillion pound sponsorships of Everton and Fulham football clubs.

Sky News has learnt that CMC, which has a market value of about £1bn, is in advanced negotiations over deals with the two Premier League sides that could be worth an aggregate of roughly £50m over three years.

Sports marketing sources said that contracts had yet to be signed, adding other potential sponsors were also circling Everton and Fulham.

If agreements are reached between CMC and the two clubs – both of which are already assured of their top-flight status next season – it would be an important step for the London-listed group’s brand-building efforts as it strives to create a financial services ‘super-app’.

In its interim results announcement last November, CMC highlighted plans to launch a multi-asset platform enabling customers to trade shares, derivatives, ISAs, SIPPs and other products on a single platform.

“Phase two is where it gets really exciting as we plan the release of our ‘Super App’, which will include TradFi [traditional finance] and DeFi [decentralised finance] products,” the company said.

“This is more than just trading products from one account: this is one platform, every asset class…all delivered via a service-led ‘Super App’, designed and built for the future.

“Phase Three…will include payments and banking products, to create an application that puts every corner of the financial universe at your fingertips.”

One football insider said that CMC had identified Fulham and Everton as ideal sponsorship targets because of the demographic profile of their fan bases and the company’s strong performance in London and the north-west.

Originally a financial spread-betting company, CMC has diversified into a broad-based financial services provider which has made Lord Cruddas – an Arsenal supporter – one of the wealthiest people in Britain.

It now has technology partnerships with companies including Revolut, the UK’s newest bank, and electrical goods retailer Currys.

While still not certain to happen, the deals between CMC and Everton and Fulham could  be signed within weeks, although there remains a possibility that either or both could fall apart.

If confirmed, they would also come at a time when Premier League clubs are scrambling to fill the vacuum that will be left by the impending ban on front-of-shirt sponsorships by sports betting companies.

Everton are currently sponsored by [Stake.com](http://Stake.com), which was reported last year to be leaving the UK online gambling market following a regulatory probe into its marketing activities.

Fulham, meanwhile, are sponsored by SBOTOP, another online gaming company.

The voluntary ban agreed between the government and the Premier League came amid growing concern about the volume of betting-related advertising surrounding the world’s most lucrative domestic football competition.

In recent years, gambling companies have become the most prolific sponsors of Premier League clubs’ shirts, with the likes of Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Brentford and West Ham United all having backers from the industry.

Last month, Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, said unlicensed gambling operators faced being banned from sponsoring British sports teams, including Premier League clubs.

“It’s not right that unlicensed gambling operators can sponsor some of our biggest football clubs, raising their profile and potentially drawing fans towards sites that don’t meet our regulatory standards,” she said.

SportFive, a sponsorship consultant, is understood to be brokering CMC’s talks with the two Premier League clubs.

CMC, Everton and Fulham declined to comment.

Would take it as it doesn’t involve promoting addiction

The Toyota rumours are more fun but this isn’t anywhere near as bad as our last few.

Hardly the ugliest logo. Good money. Not gambling. Not AI. Not Crypto.

Besides that dude looking like a sociopathic villian who bathes in placenta, not bad.

Whoever pays the most gets the prize

CMC
Toyota
Pornhub

Not arsed one bit