However, in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Herbert Hainer, chief executive of adidas, said the German company is still keen to work with Sports Direct.
Mr Hainer said: “Our main objective is definitely to improve the situation with the retail partners. I don’t know exactly how many stores SDI [Sports Direct International] has in England, but it is definitely a lot. I want to see our brand get good presentation in all these stores, the same with JD and you name them.”
The company is the biggest football brand but is under fierce pressure from US rival Nike. Mr Hainer said adidas is in “permanent discussion” with Sports Direct and is planning to fly to the UK for talks in a few weeks.
He said: “We are in permanent discussion as to how we can improve our presence and visibility in the stores and I have got an invitation from Sean Nevitt [the head of buying] to look at the new store on Oxford Street when I am next in London because he is very proud of the presentation there.”
Adidas, which has also attracted criticism from independent stores for its distribution approach, says it is reviewing its strategy “season by season”.
Mr Hainer added: “In general I must say SDI is a very good customer and we are working very closely together in a lot of different forms. This is a normal game that if somebody doesn’t get what he wants, that he is not satisfied, and we are not happy with the presentation, we tell them.”
In the interview, Mr Hainer said adidas was also standing by its sponsorship of Fifa, football’s governing body, despite corruption allegations.
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