Chelsea have confirmed the squad numbers of three new signings; Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana, and Gabriel Slonina.
Badiashile, who wore the number five shirt at AS Monaco in the last three seasons, have opted for Chelsea’s number four, which was last worn by Andreas Christensen.
Fofana, on the other hand, will wear the number 27 shirt.
He used to wear number nine and 20 at Molde, but both are already occupied by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Denis Zakaria, respectively, at Chelsea.
The 20-year-old, who finalised his Chelsea move on Saturday, could feature in the FA Cup clash against Manchester City on Sunday, the club’s official website confirmed. This also applies to Badiashile.
Considering Chelsea’s extensive injury list, both players may have good chances of making early Chelsea debuts.
Meanwhile, Slonina, who signed for Chelsea last summer before staying at MLS side Chicago Fire on a short-term loan, has been handed the number 36 shirt.
It remains unclear whether the young goalkeeper will spend the rest of the season at Chelsea, given the limited opportunities for games.
An earlier report from The Evening Standard suggested the Blues plan to send the 18-year-old on loan to a Championship side.
Fofana has reportedly generated loan interest from Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven as well. However, Armando Broja’s long-term injury and Aubameyang’s inconsistent form arguably make keeping him in the squad a more appealing option.
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