Barcelona, Nov 16: FC Barcelona on Wednesday named Japanese electronics, commerce and internet company Rakuten as the Spanish football club's main sponsor for the four-year period from July 2017 to June 2021.

The sponsorship deal is reported in the Spanish press to be worth slightly under 60 million euros ($66 million) a year, although that could increase with variables, reports Xinhua.

Rakuten's online store currently has around 75 million users and 2016 has seen the company look to expand into the European market.

The company replaces Qatar Airways which has been Barcelona's sponsor for the past four years, although it has not been ruled out that Qatar Airways will maintain some form of association with the club.

IANS