The glossy shot of a player posing in a club shirt – whether as a new signing, to promote a new sponsor or for any reason – has become a staple of modern Premier League football.
Two Chelsea fans got to experience what that is like, when they took part in a shoot alongside three Blues players.
It was part of the marketing by Chelsea to announce Japanese car manufacturer Hyundai as one of their new shirt sponsors in a record-breaking deal.
Hyundai’s logo will appear on the sleeves of Chelsea shirts for all domestic matches from next season until 2022 for both the men’s and women’s teams, the club have announced.
The deal is worth £10million-a-year over the four year contract – making it, at £40m, the most lucrative sleeve-sponsor deal yet signed by a Premier League club.
This was revealed by Blues players David Luiz, Olivier Giroud and Tiemoue Bakayoko posing in team jerseys, with the sleeves prominent.
Alongside them are two fans wearing the same shirts, and posed in a similar fashion for the photoshoot with arms crossed, in roles normally occupied by their heroes.
Chelsea will wear their new shirts, complete with sleeve sponsors, for the first time on July 23 when they face Perth Glory in a friendly in Australia.
While they have their sponsors sorted however, Chelsea are still uncertain about the future of their manager, Antonio Conte.
The Blues have been stuck in limbo as they wait to see whether lawyers acting on behalf of Maurizio Sarri can get him out of his contract stand-off with Napoli.
As it stands, Conte remains in charge, although his players do not expect him to be there for the start of the 2018-19 season.