Manchester United are set to announce the signing of Brazil winger Antony over the coming days.
A question on most supporters’ lips once their club is closing in on a signing is usually, ‘what shirt number will he wear?’, and the incoming arrival of Antony is no different.
The 22-year-old most recently wore number 11 at current club Ajax; however, the number seems to be unavailable for the time being at United.
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Number 11 is taken by Mason Greenwood, although the striker himself is currently unavailable for selection. Whether or not the Brazilian could take the number is unknown.
In his opening season at the Johan Cruyff Arena, Antony rocked the number 39, but that is also not an option at Old Trafford as it is the number Scott McTominay has worn since making his way into the first team back in 2017.
One option that could open up for Antony to wear is the famous number seven.
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Cristiano Ronaldo has been linked with a move away all summer, and the Portuguese international could leave the shirt number behind if he is to leave in the remaining days of the transfer window.
According to reports, Napoli are the latest club to have been offered the services of the striker by his agent Jorge Mendes.
Should the seven shirt be freed up, there’ll certainly be a queue forming in front of Erik ten Hag’s office.
It is the number Jadon Sancho wore in his time at Borussia Dortmund, but the shirt was worn by striker Edinson Cavani when Sancho was signed last summer.
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The Uruguayan then gave up the number to Ronaldo once he signed later in the window.
No matter the case, Antony is most likely to wear a number he has never previously worn, and with footballers often believing in superstitions when stepping out onto the pitch, the former Sao Paulo man may not be pleased with the decision he will have to make.
With latest signing Casemiro choosing the number 18, formerly worn by Bruno Fernandes who switched to number eight earlier this summer, Antony’s options between 1 and 30 are very few.
Available for selection between those numbers are numbers 13, 15, 21 and 24.
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13 was occupied by Lee Grant, with Andreas Pereira and Edinson Cavani the last to wear numbers 15 and 21.
Grant announced his retirement from football back in May.
Both Pereira and Cavani left the club this summer.
Pereira has enjoyed a good opening month at Fulham on their return to the Premier League.
Topics: Manchester United, Manchester United Transfer News & Rumours, Transfers, Antony, Ajax, Erik Ten Hag, Premier League, Football
Aadam Haladh