Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are edging closer to moves to Arsenal, according to reports, so which shirt numbers are available for the pair if they do finally sign?
In recent weeks, Arsenal have opened up a few new shirt numbers with a couple of sales.
Let’s have a look at which ones they’re most likely to take, based on their respective histories, and the numbers definitely unavailable.
1Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Over the course of his senior career, Aubameyang has used four different numbers:
The player had number nine with Dijon and in his first season with Saint Etienne. Plus he’s used that number during his entire international career.
New signing Alexandre Lacazette has it at Arsenal, and I’d say a switch is extremely unlikely.
At Lille and AS Monaco, the striker used number 11. Mesut Özil is the Gunners’ current number 11, and unless Wilshere gives up 10, I can’t see him changing either.
With Borussia Dortmund, the Gabon international has 17, another already taken by an Arsenal player (Alex Iwobi).
That leaves the number Aubameyang used for two seasons at Saint Etienne, which is number seven. If Alexis Sanchez leaves, the number would be available, so that’s a very real possibility.
The most realistic alternative available is number 14. Theo Walcott gave up the shirt after his 12-year Arsenal spell came to an end. The number has a lot of history for Arsenal, considering it’s what record goalscorer Thierry Henry wore.
Prediction: I wouldn’t bet against seven, but I think 14 is most likely.