With the news that Arsenal appear to be serious about signing Alexandre Lacazette and the move being seemingly up for discussion with Lyon, it’s fair to say that there’s at least a chance that we could see the striker in red and white next season.
- Will Arsenal give Lacazette their cursed shirt number?
- Arsenal ‘ready to pay’ for Lacazette says Lyon president
Arsenal appear to be edging closer to signing Lacazette. However, what shirt number could he take?
Number 10 is currently occupied by Jack Wilshere. The midfielder, who was sent out on loan to Bournemouth last season, was handed the shirt back in 2012 as a statement.
Arsene Wenger wanted to not only reassure Jack but the Arsenal fans that there were loyal players at the club after Robin van Persie left for Manchester United.
The manager wanted to build a team around Jack. Obviously, injuries got the better of the England international’s carer and this didn’t work out.
Lacazette is number 10 for Lyon but if Wilshere, who has just one year left on his current deal, leaves, that shirt will no doubt be going to Mesut Ozil.
Now, if Ozil was given 10, that would leave the number 11 shirt up for grabs.
While Lacazette is a striker, and 11 is usually given to a winger, in 2013/14, he did dabble out wide and shirt number doesn’t exactly dictate where you play these days.
For example, he’s number 20 for France (already taken by Shkodran Mustafi at Arsenal).
Similarly, if Olivier Giroud does leave this summer, the number 12 will be free. It would be a straight swap, since the 30-year-old is a striker himself.
However, what’s more likely is that Lucas Perez, who’s been heavily linked with a move away this summer, will give up the cursed number 9 shirt. It’s the number associated with the main striker and the most obvious option.
Other traditional first team numbers available could be 13, if David Ospina leaves, 21 if Calum Chambers goes, and 22, as well as 26 and 27, while 25 (Carl Jenkinson) and 28 (Joel Campbell) could also be up for grabs.
Of course, he could pull a Sead Kolasinac and pick a nontraditional first team shirt number.