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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Mark Jones

Luis Diaz takes iconic Liverpool shirt number and pays back fans who bought his old shirt

Liverpool's Colombian attacker Luis Diaz will pay for Reds fans who have purchased his No.23 shirt this summer ahead of his switch to the No.7.

Diaz has taken on James Milner's old shirt number ahead of the 2023-24 season, having sported the No.23 ever since his arrival at the club from Porto in January 2022.

Liverpool announced the move on Monday, and say Diaz will personally reimburse fans who have bought the club's new home kit with his name and now old number on the back.

The Reds said: "Supporters who have already purchased the 2023-24 replica home jersey printed with the name 'Luis Diaz' and the number '23' on will be personally reimbursed by the attacker with a like-for-like exchange for a 'Luis Diaz 7' shirt.

"The exchange only applies to all 'Luis Diaz 23' 2023-24 home shirts or kits purchased in official club retail outlets, via the official LFC online store or LFC Retail app. Any qualifying shirts or kit must be returned with proof of purchase by 11.59pm BST on July 31, 2023."

The shirts that are returned to the club will be donated to Liverpool's foundation.

Diaz will be hoping that the move to a new number will herald a change of luck after an injury-hit first full season with the Reds.

Diaz suffered an injury-hit campaign last season (PA)

After initially impressing upon joining from Porto, and playing a part in the sides which won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup in 2021-22, Diaz suffered a knee injury in a 3-2 defeat at Arsenal in October 2022 which derailed his campaign.

At that stage the 26-year-old had played 12 times last season, scoring four goals, but after the break for the World Cup and a recurrence of the injury during a training camp in Dubai, he returned to feature nine times at the end of the season, scoring in the 4-3 win over Tottenham.

Diaz sported the No.7 shirt for Porto and also wears it for Colombia, for whom he scored in a friendly win over Germany last week.

Diaz wears the No.7 for Colombia, and scored against Germany last week (AFP via Getty Images)

Milner had worn the shirt for eight years prior to his free transfer move to Brighton this summer, while the No.7 is famous at Liverpool having previously been worn by fellow club legends Billy Liddell, Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish and Luis Suarez.

In the Premier League era, with squad numbers introduced in 1993, the shirt has also been worn by Nigel Clough, Steve McManaman, Vladimir Smicer, Harry Kewell and Robbie Keane.

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