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Manchester United's 7 greatest No. 7s

Cristia
Cristiano Ronaldo was one of the best players to don the number 7 jersey at Manchester United

Alexis Sanchez' transfer to Manchester United is official and he will be wearing the Red Devils' No. 7 shirt. By doing so, the Chilean will be following in the footsteps of several all-time United greats.

Very few shirts are as iconic as the famous No. 7 at Manchester United. At one point, you could have believed that players were destined for greatness just by simply wearing the kit.

However, the Red Devils' recent No. 7s have proven, that it's not the kit that makes the players legendary, it's the players that make the kit legendary. Since Cristiano Ronaldo's departure in 2009, his kit's successors have combined for just 11 of United's 617 Premier League goals.

So, without further ado, it is time to take a look at the seven greatest players to wear the No. 7 shirt at the Theatre of Dreams:


#7 Antonio Valencia

Manchester United v Stoke City - Premier League
Just about makes the list: Antonio Valencia

A difficult decision for various reasons. Despite several United legends having donned the shirt throughout the years, there has also been a significant number of players, who couldn't deal with the pressure.

Especially in recent times, players have failed to live up to the expectations that come along with the most prestigious shirt number in world football. Although Valencia also suffered under this pressure, the rest of his United career just about justifies his spot at the bottom of the list.

While the likes of Memphis Depay, Angel di Maria or Michael Owen never consistently delivered, the toughest contestant would arguably be Andrey Kanchelskis, who temporarily wore the No. 7 in the absence of one of the true United greats, Bryan Robson.

However, as Kanchelskis was only an interim holder of the shirt, Valencia gets the vote. The Ecuadorian is an indispensable member of Mourinho's side, now wearing the No. 25 again, after an underwhelming year with the No. 7, and has become one of the team's leaders in his new role at right-back.

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