With Ilkay Gundogan's departure, the coveted number eight shirt will become available this summer at Manchester City.
Gundogan has been the holder of number eight since his arrival in 2016, but will leave after a glittering seven years and is expected to join Barcelona on a free transfer. Whoever inherits it will be only the third City number eight since 2012.
Mateo Kovacic is expected to join, and he would be a logical successor having worn eight at Chelsea, and squad numbers are often a way to get new signings feeling good straight away. Look at Jack Grealish's reaction when he got the number 10 shirt, or Kalvin Phillips receiving Vincent Kompany's iconic number four. It wasn't lost on Sergio Gomez that he was inheriting David Silva's old 21 number.
Some teams will use squad numbers to reward players, upgrading them from a higher number to a more 'important' number. Joao Cancelo took seven last summer, and Aleks Zinchenko upgraded from 35 to 11 in the past. Maybe City could do the same this summer?
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11 has been vacant since Zinchenko left last summer, and now number eight is vacant. If Cancelo leaves after his contentious loan exit in January, seven would also be available to a new signing or worthy player currently in the squad. With Kyle Walker potentially joining Bayern Munich instead of Cancelo, the number two might also be available for the first time since 2017.
Starting with the current squad, could someone like Kevin De Bruyne or Phil Foden get an upgrade to seven or eight? De Bruyne has worn 17 since he arrived and could presumably have taken seven when it was vacant last summer. Foden has explained the personal significance of 47, and while a more traditional number would suit his importance to the team, it feels unlikely he will move from a number that will forever be associated with him.
Maybe, then, could Bernardo Silva earn an upgrade if he was to stay? Would Rodri be a better 'eight' than a 16 in recognition of his incredible season? Would 11 be a reward for Riyad Mahrez, or perhaps someone like Julian Alvarez?
What about number two if Walker leaves? Is it too early, and too much pressure, to give such a number to a player like Rico Lewis? Or would Manu Akanji want a 'better' number than Fernandinho's 25?
There are no obvious successors in the current squad to any of the vacant, or potentially-vacant numbers, so perhaps Kovacic would be a logical eight. If Declan Rice was to join, he could have a choice of 12, 15, 24, 27-30, and most others above 24 including his current 41 and the 42 last held by his idol Yaya Toure.
There is talk of RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol joining the defence, with Walker's number two a potential option among the options above.
Whoever leaves and whoever joins, there will always be interest in squad numbers. Not for the first time, some traditionally important numbers are available this summer, so all eyes will be on who takes them.
