Numbers – they kind a vital a part of a day’s work for anybody concerned in finance, statistics or arithmetic.
They’re additionally essential to soccer followers, with the game’s most well-known gamers changing into synonymous with a selected digit (or digits) on the again of their shirt.
For Liverpool followers, the beginning of the 2024/25 season is progressively coming into view, with simply over three weeks till Arne Slot takes cost of his first match with the Reds after they face Actual Betis on their pre-season tour of the USA.
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Nike have already launched the house equipment which’ll function at Anfield over the following 12 months, and amid one other switch window awash with rumours about potential signings, supporters may also be listening to the shirt quantity that any new arrival may choose.
Let’s check out a number of the numbers which can be found to potential newcomers at LFC, in addition to these which may be taken up by present squad members in the event that they have been to change issues up a bit!
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Quantity 6
Presently the one vacant quantity within the basic 1-11 vary after Thiago Alcantara’s exit, it’s prone to be bequeathed both to an incoming centre-back or defensive midfielder.
Riccardo Calafiori and David Hancko have been linked with Liverpool in latest weeks however each now seem to be inconceivable targets, whereas Leny Yoro continues to be of agency curiosity to Anfield chiefs. He presently wears 15 at Lille however may favour taking over a single digit ought to he signal for the Reds.
Alternatively, with ‘quantity 6’ having change into soccer shorthand for a holding midfielder, may Wataru Endo swap from his present quantity 3, which is usually extra related to a full-back?
Quantity 13
Loads of earlier Liverpool goalkeepers clearly haven’t been too superstitious, having taken on what folklore usually regards as an unfortunate quantity.
That actually wasn’t the case for Alisson Becker when he wore it within the 2019 Champions League ultimate (Loris Karius had #1 on the time), and it was duly handed on to Adrian however is presently vacant with the Spaniard now a free agent.
David James and Scott Carson have additionally worn 13 at Anfield within the squad quantity period, as did Ray Clemence and Tommy Lawrence in earlier generations.
Liverpool’s present second-choice ‘keeper Caoimhin Kelleher has caught with 62 all through his time with the Reds. The Irishman may be on the transfer this summer season, but when he doesn’t change his membership, may he change the digits on the again of his shirt?
Quantity 23
Solely 5 gamers have had it as their squad quantity at Liverpool, however that choose group consists of two membership legends in Robbie Fowler and Jamie Carragher.
In newer occasions it’s been occupied by livewire attackers Xherdan Shaqiri and Luis Diaz (earlier than the latter switched to 7).
If its subsequent exponent can be an effervescent winger, it would presumably be taken by Crysencio Summerville or Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, though a transfer for the latter appears unlikely to materialise this summer season at the very least.
Quantity 24
Anthony Gordon has dominated Liverpool switch dialogue in latest days since Newcastle’s failed proposal to promote him to us in alternate for Jarell Quansah.
The England winger has worn 8 and 10 at St James’ Park, however each of these are presently occuped at Anfield. Ought to he find yourself on the crimson half of Merseyside, he may return to a quantity he beforehand wore on this a part of the world, having been Everton’s quantity 24 for a few seasons.
It’s a shirt which has been idle within the LFC dressing room since Rhian Brewster was offered to Sheffield United in 2020.
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Quantity 32
Among the many extra illustrious gamers to be linked with Liverpool this summer season is Joshua Kimmich, for whom the Reds reportedly have an edge on Barcelona within the chase for his signature.
The German presently wears 6 for Bayern Munich and his nationwide staff, however he made his title in Bavaria with 32 on his again, and that was his quantity when he tasted Champions League glory in 2020.
He’d doubtless keep on with 6 if he involves Anfield and the shirt continues to be out there, but when it turns into occuped within the meantime, he may go for a throwback and provides Joel Matip’s former quantity a brand new dwelling.
Numbers out there for inner ‘promotions’
Other than new signings, we’ve seen loads of situations whereby current Liverpool gamers swap to a newly-available shirt quantity – Luis Diaz (23 to 7), Darwin Nunez (27 to 9), Sadio Mane (19 to 10), Bobby Firmino (11 to 9), Harvey Elliott (67 to 19) and Joe Gomez (12 to 2) have all switched in recent times.
For younger gamers coming by way of the ranks, a swap to a decrease shirt quantity is usually thought to be an indication that they’ve firmly made the transition from academy prospect to first-team mainstay, so may we see a number of adjustments at Anfield in that regard?
Shirts 6 and 12-16 are all presently out there, as are 23, 25, 27, 29 and 30. Other than people who we’ve mentioned already on this piece, let’s have a little bit little bit of enjoyable and speculate over some potential inner ‘promotions’.
Conor Bradley (84 to 12): Final worn by one other right-back in Gomez, the bottom quantity exterior the 1-11 vary is vacant for the Northern Eire gem to tackle if he needs to divide his present shirt quantity by seven.
Stefan Bajcetic (43 to 14): The shirt worn by Jordan Henderson for a dozen years at Anfield has been free for the most effective a part of a yr. It was beforehand occupied by the long-lasting Xabi Alonso within the 2000s – may a modern-day Spanish midfielder at Liverpool now take it on?
Ben Doak (50 to fifteen): The quantity 15 has been adorned by a number of celebrated LFC forwards within the Premier League period, together with Patrik Berger, Peter Crouch and Daniel Sturridge. It’s out there for the Scottish teenager if he needs to change issues up a bit!
Jarell Quansah (78 to 16): The 21-year-old often wore 16 in his days at under-21 stage, and it’s a shirt quantity which hasn’t been worn with any actual distinction for the reason that days of Didi Hamann. Twenty years on, it’s free for the Warrington powerhouse to actually make it his personal!
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