Manchester United Transfer News: Red Devils end Christian Eriksen pursuit, Harry Maguire shirt number officially revealed, and more: August 7, 2019
Hello and welcome to the Manchester United Transfer News round-up for 7th August 2019. We bring you the biggest transfer stories of the day involving Manchester United and here are our top picks for the day.
Also Read: Manchester United News and Rumours: August 6, 2019
#5 Manchester United officially reveal Harry Maguire shirt number
Manchester United announced the signing of Harry Maguire on Monday, finally reinforcing a problematic position that has been their bane last season. The Englishman cost United around £80m, making him the costliest defender in the world ahead of Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk. With his arrival, it seems that the Red Devils finally have the leader at the back that they have craved since the exit of Nemanja Vidic. However, it looks like the former Leicester City defender will be walking in Rio Ferdinand's shoes after all!
As the dust settles on Harry Maguire's record breaking move to Old Trafford, Manchester United have revealed that the Englishman has been allocated the No. 5 shirt for the upcoming season. It is a number that Maguire is well acquainted with since his time at Hull City and Sheffield United, where he had donned the same shirt number.
The Englishman had worn the No. 15 shirt at Leicester City, as the No. 5 belonged to club captain Wes Morgan. Incidentally, Maguire wears the No. 6 shirt for his country. He is only the 6th player to wear the No. 5 shirt for an entire season or more for United and he will be joining an interesting set of players who previously wore the shirt.
Laurent Blanc, Ronny Johnsen and Lee Sharpe have all worn the jersey, but it was Rio Ferdinand who gained iconic status as the United No. 5 in the Premier league. The Englishman wore the No. 6 in his first season, before moving on to the No. 5 and the rest is history.
Argentinean Marcos Rojo was the most recent holder of the shirt number, wearing it from the 2014/15 season til 2017/18 season. He moved to the No.16 last season after Carrick retired, and as United failed to get a centerback last season, the No. 5 remained unclaimed. This year, it shall belong to Harry Maguire, who will be hopeful of reaching unprecedented heights in the famous shirt.
Manchester United fans could get a glimpse of the Englishman as the new No. 5 in the Chelsea game this weekend, provided the United manager deems him fit enough for the tie.