With Chelsea having confirmed all outgoings and signings ahead of the new season, they have gone ahead to assign new jersey numbers to players. We will take a look at Chelsea’s squad numbers for the already started season.
Romelu Lukaku will wear the vacated number 9 jersey evacuated by Tammy Abraham. His signing comes at the same time with the switch of Tammy Abraham to the Italian team, Roma now being managed by former Chelsea boss, Jose Mourinho.
He will look to emulate the footstep of team legends such as Didier Drogba, Gianluca Vialli, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink who delivered with the jersey.
The jersey is regarded as a curse since many players have struggled with the weight of the number. Fernando Torres, Mateja Kezman, Hernan Crespo, Khalid Boulahrouz, Alvaro Morata, Gonzalo Higuain, Radamel Falcao are part of a long list of strikers who never delivered wearing the number 9 jersey in Chelsea.
Kovacic has switched from his old number 17 to wear number 8, the previous number held by Chelsea goalscoring midfielder Frank Lampard.
Saul Niguez, a new arrival from Atletico Madrid will take over the number 17 jersey. He previously wore the number 17 at his former club in his first two seasons. He later switched to number 8. Pedro is the last Spaniard to don this jersey for Chelsea.
Tino Anjorin will depart to Russian Locomotiv Moscow on loan for the new season after signing a contract extension till 2023.
Chelsea squad numbers for the 2021/22 season
Goalkeepers
1 Kepa Arrizabalaga
16 Edouard Mendy
13 Marcus Bettinelli
36 Lucas Bergstrom
Defenders
2 Antonio Rudiger
3 Marcos Alonso
4 Andreas Christensen
6 Thiago Silva
14 Trevoh Chalobah
21 Ben Chilwell
24 Reece James
28 Cesar Azpilicueta
Midfielders
5 Jorginho
7 N’Golo Kante
8 Mateo Kovacic
12 Ruben Loftus-Cheek
17 Saul Niguez
19 Mason Mount
27 Tino Anjorin
Attackers
9 Romelu Lukaku
10 Christian Pulisic
11 Timo Werner
20 Callum Hudson-Odoi
22 Hakim Ziyech
29 Kai Havertz
