Shirt numbers, not just the preserve of football nerds. Even if you’re not exactly the kind of person who gets moved by a midfielder wearing the number nine of a striker wearing three, everyone cares.
It is part of the anticipation of their arrival to see what shirt number a new signing will retain, or whether a homegrown player who won last season will be given a ‘proper’ first team number. Timely upgrades will be rewarded. You can’t wear #66 forever…
If numbers didn’t matter, we wouldn’t be debating whether certain jerseys are cursed – Manchester United’s number seven or Chelsea’s number nine – nor would legends from the past equate to a particular shirt. .
But we do and they are because it’s all part and parcel of what we love about football.
This summer has been no different in that regard, with big new arrivals and other changes for existing players. Have you noticed, though?
Take a 90-minute quickfire quiz on which players are going to wear different numbers at Premier League clubs in 2020/21 and see if you’re as plugged in as you think you are.