FUZHOU, China, Feb. 25 -- Sales of Chinese striker Wu Lei's jersey have exceeded 10,000 in China since he joined the Barcelona-based Spanish Liga Santander side Espanyol, according to the club's official kit sponsor Kelme.
Wu's jersey replica has become a hot seller among fans in China over the past month because of his impressive performance, said Liu Zejun, chief marketing officer of Kelme China.
"His jersey went out of stock shortly after the signing was announced about a month ago, and sales of his jersey keep soaring since then," said Liu."
Wu's performance earned him applause from Espanyol fans and supporters back in China, and his new club is also gaining popularity in China. In addition to over 10, 000 replicas of Wu's jersey sold here, over 2,000 items of club gear such as match suit, training suit, and hoodies have been sold as of Feb. 24.
"Wu's move to Espanyol came as a happy surprise to the company, and we expect that he will keep in shape," said Liu.
Founded in Spain in 1963, Kelme is the official sponsor for a number of Spanish La Liga clubs, including Real Valladolid, Huesca, Rayo Vallecano, and Alaves.
In 2017, Kelme licensed its trademark in the Chinese market to a garment company located in Jinjiang, a sportswear manufacturing hub in southeastern China's Fujian Province.