Romelu Lukaku’s likely Chelsea shirt number options including preference

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As Chelsea close in on the signing of Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku from Inter Milan, fans await which shirt number he will be given before they purchase their Lukaku shirts.

Lukaku has worn a range of squad numbers throughout his career and was number 18 during his previous spell at Stamford Bridge.

He will not don this number this time around, however, as it has already been assigned to Ethan Ampadu for the 2021/22 season after Olivier Giroud was sold.

This leaves six squad numbers that Lukaku could potentially be awarded after he completes his return to the Blues.

Having worn the number nine shirt at Inter and Manchester United, as well as for Belgium at the Euros, this would likely be Lukaku's preferred number upon his return to Chelsea.

Although Tammy Abraham is currently the Chelsea number nine, he is reportedly close to sealing a move away after being made surplus to requirements by Thomas Tuchel this summer.

However, if the deal were to fall through or not be concluded prior to Lukaku's debut then there remains a number of options for the 28-year-old to choose from.

23 is the next lowest number available at the club having been most recently worn by Billy Gilmour who has moved on loan to Norwich City this summer.

Prior to Gilmour, Lukaku's international team-mate Michy Batshuayi wore number 23 for the Blues as he has done for most of his career.

Batshuayi is currently without a shirt number since returning from a loan spell at Crystal Palace, where he was also number 23.

While Chelsea do not currently have any squad numbers retired, Lukaku is highly unlikely to be given the vacant number 25 and 26 shirts, which have not been issued since the departures of Gianfranco Zola and John Terry, respectively.

The number 27 shirt has been unassigned since 2019 having been worn by Danish defender Andreas Christensen before he switched to the number four.

Some higher numbers are available to Lukaku but the only one he may opt for is the number 36, having been the number he first wore at boyhood club Anderlecht.

Having broken into the side in the 2008/09 season he was given the number 36 before switching to number 14 in the summer of 2010 for his final season with the club.

36 has been unused at Chelsea since 2018 and is generally assigned to newly promoted academy graduates, including Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Patrick Bamford.

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