While they have announced the arrival of Christian Eriksen on a free transfer from Brentford, Manchester United are still yet to make his squad number official.
United fans are being forced to wait before buying a shirt with Eriksen's name on the back due to the club's decision. It is somewhat unusual for a player to not have their squad number revealed at the same time their arrival at a new club is confirmed.
There could be good reason for United holding back Eriksen's number, with it potentially having an impact on future transfer moves. At his most recent clubs, the Dane's number has tended to be in the 20's.
He started the trend by wearing the 23 shirt at Tottenham, though that is currently worn by Luke Shaw. The England international could of course move to number three, held by the unwanted Eric Bailly, though that appears unlikely.
Before that he wore number eight at Ajax, a shirt that is worn by Bruno Fernandes at Old Trafford. Similarly, his number for his national team is 10, but that is a shirt that is already taken by Marcus Rashford, with neither the winger nor Fernandes likely to give those numbers up.
At Brentford, Eriksen took the number 21 shirt, but this is where the jersey he is given could impact United's future transfers. The Red Devils have been chasing a move for Frenkie de Jong all summer and are inching towards completing a deal for the Barcelona star.
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But 21 is De Jong's favoured shirt number, with the midfielder wearing it for Barcelona, Ajax and the Netherlands. He had been offered the number 14 by Barca, but turned it down in favour of 21 before explaining its importance to him.
"I feel comfortable with that number. I could easily play with another number, you know, it's not a problem, but it is nice that it also gives people a way of recognising me," De Jong said.
"I brought my whole family to my presentation in Barcelona, except my grandfather Hans de Jong, my father's father. He died on the day of my 21st birthday. Unconsciously it is also a kind of tribute. He was a huge football fan."
Also impacting on the new squad numbers is fellow arrival Lisandro Martinez, who has also tended to wear 21 or 24. But the Argentine would be more likely to be given the number six shirt, vacated by Paul Pogba this summer.
If number six does go to Martinez and 21 is being held for De Jong, there are several shirts Eriksen could take instead. He wore 24 at Inter Milan, with that shirt having been vacant at United for more than a year.
Numbers 13, 14, 15, and 18 are also free for Eriksen to take and if he wanted to stay in the 20s, then 26 is available as well. United will need to come to a decision quickly, with the new Premier League season getting underway a week on Saturday.
