William Saliba may have made surprise Arsenal shirt number decision amid new home kit ‘leak’
It’s that time of year when anticipation for next season’s new uniforms grows, and Arsenal fans are no exception.
While the Gunners’ home shirt for the 2023/24 season has yet to be officially revealed, there have been a number of ‘leaks’ of it in recent weeks.
Images on social media have emerged of a mannequin wearing what appears to be the spanking new strip on sale in an Indonesian retailer.
Arsenal defender William Saliba was pictured giving a fan with the club’s new home kit last week, as the Frenchman spent time in Cameroon with his season practically gone.
The Frenchman has not played since suffering a back injury during Sporting CP’s Europa League defeat in March.
Surprisingly, the shirt bore Saliba’s name and phone number on the back.
Perhaps the 22-year-old is ‘revealing’ that he will not change his squad number for next season.
This would come as a surprise given the circumstances surrounding what appeared to be his favorite shirt number.
When he reported for pre-season training in July, the Frenchman appeared to confirm that he would be wearing the No.2 shirt for the 2022/23 season.
However, this squad number was not accessible until Arsenal’s Premier League start against Crystal Palace on August 5.
And, because he strutted out at Selhurst Park wearing No.12, he can’t alter his squad number until next season, according to Premier League rules:
“While he remains with the Club a Player will retain his shirt number throughout the Season for which it was allocated,” a statement reads.
Significantly for Saliba, the Arsenal No.2 shirt fell vacant on transfer deadline day last summer when Hector Bellerin agreed to join Barcelona on a permanent basis.
With no indication that the No.2 jersey will be assigned to another player, a change appeared to be in the works for Saliba heading into the 2023/24 season.
Following the ‘leaked’ photos of next season’s home uniform, it’s possible that he’ll continue with No.12 for another year.
With that said, a tiny – but potentially critical – element should be mentioned.
When you look closely at the aforementioned shirt, it says ‘W. Saliba’ on the back, although ‘Saliba’ has been written on the back of his Arsenal shirt all season.
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William Saliba may have made surprise Arsenal shirt number decision amid new home kit ‘leak’