With the Andy Robertson transfer close to being finalised, Tottenham Hotspur could be forced to hand the full-back an iconic shirt number that has effectively been retired since 2012.
Tottenham Hotspur will soon welcome Andy Robertson through the door after their attempts to sign him during the winter transfer window fell through due to Liverpool’s lack of full-back depth at Anfield.
The Liverpool man has since confirmed he was close to joining Tottenham at the time, and the move now looks set to go ahead six months later.
That confirmation comes from Fabrizio Romano, who gave his infamous ‘here we go’ seal of approval to the deal, claiming it is set to proceed as initially revealed after the winter window, when both Spurs and Robertson had a verbal agreement over a summer transfer that was dependent on Tottenham’s league status.
Spurs also had to fend off interest from Juventus, who made a late attempt to hijack the Robertson deal.
Andy Robertson is expected to become a Spurs player
Tottenham fans will now await official confirmation of Robertson’s arrival, which should come once the transfer window opens.
Ahead of his announcement, we have now looked at some of the shirt numbers that could be available to Robertson should he complete his move to N17.
For most of his career, Robertson has stuck with the number 26 shirt, wearing it throughout his nine-year stint at Anfield.
He also wore that number during his time at Hull City in the 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons, before switching to number three in his final year there, the 2016/17 campaign.
Prior to that change at Hull City, Robertson also wore the number three shirt during the 2012/13 season with Queen’s Park FC. In that same campaign, he also wore the number 11 shirt.
Tottenham could have several shirt numbers available
Currently at Tottenham, the number 26 remains unused, although it has been unofficially retired since Ledley King hung up his boots in 2012.
The number three shirt, which Robertson has worn in the past, is currently worn by Radu Dragusin, although the Romanian could depart this summer, freeing it up.
Meanwhile, the number 11 shirt – which Robertson is highly unlikely to choose – is currently worn by Mathys Tel.
The number six shirt could become available should Joao Palhinha’s loan spell not be extended, while 17 may be an option if Cristian Romero leaves the club.
Yves Bissouma’s number eight could also become vacant, with his contract expiring this summer and the club yet to take up a one-year option, while Ben Davies’ 33 may emerge as another possibility, given his current deal is also due to expire.
The number two shirt previously worn by Matt Doherty remains vacant, while 39 could become available once Randal Kolo Muani returns to Paris Saint-Germain.