It looks like Bukayo Saka will wear the number 7 for Arsenal next season judging by the shirt printing options available on the new adidas home kit via the club shop.
The number has not been used since Henrikh Mkhitaryan left for Roma on loan and with the Armenian set to extend his stay in the Italian capital the decision has been taken to find it a new home.
As has been well documented, Saka, who this season has worn the 77 shirt, signed a new long-term contract with the Gunners earlier this month which also secured him a hefty pay rise.
Liam Brady, David Rocastle, Robert Pires, Tomas Rosicky…Bukayo follows in the footsteps of some legendary players for the club. Here’s hoping he can do the number justice. We’ve no doubt he will.
We suspect a few more of Arsenal’s youngsters will get new squad numbers before the start of the season but those decisions may well be influenced by our transfer business.
Of the premium squad numbers still available, 4 remains free. Perhaps it has been reserved for William Saliba?
That list of 7s!
The warm glow of fabulous memories. I didn’t think about it like this at the time, but I look back now and find I’m hugely grateful to them for what they did and what they tried to do. Those memories are priceless and this lad has more than enough about him to make some more.
I’m dumbfounded that Nelson Vivas wasn’t included on your list of legendary number 7’s!
Good for Saka though, I know they’re only numbers, but at the same time it is a bit of an indicator in terms of the value placed on him by the club, not often a teenager is handed one of the 1 to 11 numbers, I reckon Cesc was the last in 2006 when he switched from 15 to 4 when he was 19?
Jack Wilshere went from 19 to 10. Aaron Ramsey from 15 to 8 and Keiran Gibbs from 28 to 3.
Correction, Rambo moved numbers when in his 20s. Apologies
No bother, either way I was wrong! Disappointed at myself for forgetting Wilshere in particular.
Ramsey was 16! Lol
Apologies yes you are spot on sir. In my defence it was early and my 5 year old son was banging on about a cuddly toy shark in my ear at the time of writing.
As a side issue, anybody know how old Ashley Cole was when given the number 3 shirt?
He was 20. He had 29 up to end of 00/01 when he displaced Silvinho and the #3 was taken from Stepanovs and given to AC that summer
Many thanks?
That’s odd, thought Aaron was 16 to 8?! ?
I was thinking of Alexis .. I mean when you think of the good part .. probably not long enough for a legend ..
Yes Saliba gets no 4
For martineli love to see him with no. 10
No 4 for me is a holding midfielders number
Agreed. Good old Paddy.
7 is the right wing in the number system, while 4 is a right center back.
Clubs are doing their best, but not always easy to hold to the well established system.
Prime example was Sagne wearing 3 for all those years.
Leno, Bellerin, Tierney, Sokratis, Lacazette, and Ozil all have “traditional” numbers. Cebellos, sort of.
Peter Storey
Wonder what Pepe thinks of this..
19 seems to be Pepe’s favourite number, wore it at both Angers & Lille before us and even has a barber’s shop called ‘Dix-Neuf’. Doubt he’s change number any time soon.
Cheers for the info
Signed in ‘19 no less
..and well done Saka, totally deserved
only if he was as good as Santi 🙁
(who am i kidding .. no one is as good as Santi )
For all my promises to the great 10, Lord Bergkamp, I only watched Sango play twice, and some highlights, this season. I am convinced we focused up…again.
Good luck to him though, hope he turns to coaching at some point.
*Santi
Delighted for him, great season, real genuine bright spot in our worst season in a run of terrible seasons,
That’s a special shirt for the lad and well deserved.
I was hoping he’d get it. Well done that lad! A big number to live up to but I think he more than has what it takes.
Any chance of a move on the number 10? (Apologies for another reference to the elephant in the room)
Martinelli
I think 6 is free as well. Would prefer that for Saliba.
Or are we freeing that number up for Partey? Haha who am I kidding scratch that thought
Partey 4, Saliba 6 please 🙂
Isn’t the number 6 free too?
Great news. No need to buy a new shirt,just colour in one of the sevens red and you have his new number on your old shirt! ?
Or leave it 77 and be proud of your foresight ?
#Saka keeps moving…
Delighted for Saka. He must be so chuffed right now. ?
I wish Torreira would give up the 11. Doesn’t suit him at all. That would be nice for Martinelli..
Glad I’m not the only one who feels this way! Numbers 12+ can be for anyone, but 1-11 should always match the position of the player imo.
I still remember when we had Gallas as number 10. Yikes…
Twas a curse. He lost the league for us that year. Awful reaction to the draw at St Andrew’s. Not sure AW ever grasped the importance of picking the right captain.
And he sat on the centre of the pitch.?
saka deserve to get into number 7
Big shoes to fill. For me Rosicky was one of my favourite players of all time when fit. Won’t even mention Pires, we all know.
Was coming to say the same thing. #7 Rosicky was always one of my favorites. He just had such an ability to properly shield the ball, turn, move in tight space and then escape and make plays
good for him and congratulation to him with respected no 7 ….he derseve such recognition in his team ….what a talented young star
7 loves good on you, Saka.
Looks good***
No. 7. What a shirt to wear playing for Arsenal Football Club. Armstrong, Ball, Brady, Rocastle, Pires, Rosicky and Sanchez. Now, hopefully, another Arsenal legend – Saka.
Isn’t 6 also free? I expect beyond this season that 5 and 10 also will become free. 8 might also be, but I hope not.
I wonder what this signifies for our transfer business.
So proud of the lad. That list of 7’s is probably about 10 names shorter than we would all make it! Ordered the new shirt; got Saka on it with the 7, looking forwardto a BIG season from the lad.