With the new season edging ever closer, teams are releasing fresh football gear at an astonishing rate. Man United are no different – however, their 2022/23 away kit has fallen victim to leaks.
The away shirt is following in the footsteps of United’s new home kit, which fans also got to see before its official release. This year, makers adidas have looked to the past for inspiration, giving the new attire a retro feel.
No feature highlights this more than the collar on the new home shirt. Adidas has put a white collar on the traditional red jersey, accenting it with a red and black triangular pattern. Additionally, the home kit has black adidas stripes running down the sleeves.
Finally, the nostalgia trip is in full flow when you look at the United badge. Here, the German kit maker has mounted the logo on a shield – evoking memories of when Umbro did this on Man United kits in the mid-1990s.
Now, adidas has returned the away kit to a colour reminiscent of more successful years.
The Red Devils in white
Man United have a strong affinity with white in their kits; for example, the traditional home shorts are white. Through the years, they have also used the light colour as the base for their away kit.
Most notably, Umbro re-popularised the colour on the away kit in the late-1990s and early 2000s – undoubtedly boosted by the on-field success too. Nike followed suit in the late 2000s and early 2010s, utilising white on several away designs.
But adidas has generally moved away from this colour since returning as a sponsor. Their only away kit released in white was from the German supplier’s first season back as United’s kit maker – 2015/16.
However, the latest leaks show that adidas is taking Man United back to a white kit in 2022/23.
The ‘leaked’ Man United 2022/23 away kit
Instagram page JerseyReview and Footy Headlines shared the leak of the new shirt, which was mistakenly on display in an Adidas store.
Similar to the home kit, this away shirt has the Man United badge mounted on a black shield over the heart. The adidas logo, TeamViewer sponsor and sleeve sponsor all stand out in black.
Interestingly, adidas have gone for dual-colour stripes over the shoulders. The two outer stripes are red, while the central one is black. Some United fans may be reminded of the away shirt from 2010-2012 as a result, because that Nike kit had red and black sleeves too.
In contrast to the leaked home edition, the 2022/23 Man United away kit has a V-neck collar shape, where the black colour matches the sleeve cuffs. To add to this, the collar features detailing in the form of red and white dashes.
The socks have the same dual-colour adidas stripe pattern at the top, plus a black band halfway down. This band contains a red devil at the front and a white Adidas logo at the back, whilst also showing off the collar pattern too.
Leaks suggest that both kits will be on sale by mid-July.
A white kit is a clear reminder of some of Man United’s better days. Maybe, with a new manager and the potential of new signings, the Old Trafford side can lift some silverware in this colour once more.
Featured Image Credit: Getty