Footy Headlines posted a picture of the kit after also ‘leaking’ the design of their North London rivals Tottenham, as Adidas have continued their theme of radically changing the colour scheme from the previous year’s away kit
The design pays homage to Arsenal’s 1995/96 away shirt that was worn by bonafide club legends including Tony Adams, Ian Wright and Dennis Bergkamp in a disappointing season for the Gunners as they finished fifth in the league and lost in the third round of the FA Cup in Bruce Rioch’s final season in charge – precipitating the appointment of a certain Arsene Wenger.
So fans will hope it brings better luck on the pitch, and the design certainly looks the part. A dark navy blue base is broken up by royal blue lightning bolts, electrifying the lively design. The cannon crest, Adidas logo and Emirates airline sponsor logo are all in white while the German designer’s iconic three stripes are in red on the shoulders.
Arsenal also paid tribute to the historic away strip with their 2021/22 third kit. This 30th anniversary is certainly a more understated take than that brazen design, which had lightning running all the way down and much more rouge featured. That turquoise and navy kaleidoscope was also one of the last kits with the full club crest on rather than the current cannon icon, in a similar change to Liverpool now only having the liver bird logo on their chests.
FootyHeadlines didn’t reveal where the leak came from – as they did with the Tottenham design, and it’s also not clear how much the kit will cost . The current season’s away kit cost £110 for the ‘Authentic’ model or a comparative bargain of £80 for the standard shirt. If history is anything to go by, it’s unlikely the home kit will feature any radical departure from the standard red torso and white sleeves synonymous with Arsenal but the third shirt could be more creative.
While Arsenal fans broadly seemed to appreciate the idea, the execution has left something to be desired. Gunner supporters quickly took to social media to rate the kit, with one saying it looks ‘dapper’, but others criticising the creative decisions to stray from the original design, including the way the red Adidas stripes clash with the dark navy.
Meanwhile another fan questioned why the club hasn’t returned to the classic all yellow shirts and blue shorts last used when Mikel Arteta was still playing back in the 2013/14 season.
