What will be Ilkay Gundogan’s potential Barcelona jersey numbers?
Barcelona finally confirmed the signing of Ilkay Gundogan earlier today, after what felt like an eternity of waiting. The acquisition of the treble-winning captain on a free transfer will go down as one of the finest transactions of the summer, and maybe a historical one for the club.
With the announcement of his signing comes the subject of what number he will wear at the Blaugrana. After all, Xavi Hernandez’s side is running low on kit numbers.
Currently, the German maestro has seven numbers to pick from.
Neither the No. 8 shirt he wore for Manchester City nor the No. 21 shirt he wears for the German national team are available.
With Pedri and Frenkie de Jong unlikely to renounce their numbers, Gundogan will have to settle with a new number that he has never worn before. The remaining alternatives are 2, 3, 5, 12, 14, 16, and 18.
While it looks that the midfielder has a lot of options, a closer look reveals that his options are actually restricted. After all, numbers two and three are typically linked with defenders.
Sergio Busquets’ No. 5 shirt, which he recently gave up for good, stands out in this regard. After all, it’s only natural for another treble-winning captain to step into a captain’s shoes.
Gundogan will not be wearing the Barcelona armband next season. Nonetheless, with his expertise and talent, he will surely be one of the field’s leaders in the next years. In that sense, Gundogan at No. 5 may be a marriage made in heaven.
Among the other alternatives, the No. 18 sticks out as a jersey with a long history. After all, Jordi Alba, one of the club’s finest left-backs, just left it.
