Eric Bailly is assigned number 3
Henrikh Mkhitaryan takes the number 22 shirt
Zlatan Ibrahimovic takes the number 9 shirt
Anthony Martial moves from 9 to 11
Adnan Januzaj moves from 11 to 15
Jesse Lingard moves to number 14
Marcus Rashford moves to number 19
#MUFC's provisional squad numbers for 2016/17: pic.twitter.com/dlwFy62Iaq
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 21, 2016
Manchester United’s provisional squad numbers have been released for the forthcoming season and there have been a number of changes to shirt numbers at the club.
New playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan has been assigned the number 22 shirt.
One shirt number that has been conspicuously left vacant is the number 6 shirt which has been unoccupied since the departure of Jonny Evans to West Brom last summer.
Speculation remains high that Paul Pogba may be returning to Old Trafford for a world record fee soon and his favourite shirt number could be on hold for him.
Memphis Depay retains his number 7 shirt despite a poor season last term and speculation over his future with the arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Mkhitaryan.
Ibrahimovic was assigned the number 9 shirt despite appearing to be told that he was taking Juan Mata’s number 8 shirt around the time he was originally unveiled for United.
The veteran forward looks set to be a first choice striker for new United manager Jose Mourinho with original incumbent Anthony Martial bumping Adnan Januzaj off the number 11 shirt.
The Swede will not be involved in United’s China tour due to playing in the European Championships and needing more time to prepare for the forthcoming Premier League season.
There were also squad number upgrades for Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, and goalkeeper Sam Johnstone while Guillermo Varela, James Wilson, and Tyler Blackett haven’t been given squad numbers.
Squad numbers remain subject to change ahead of the new season, though.
Manchester United Provisional Squad Numbers 2016/2017
1 David De Gea
3 Eric Bailly
4 Phil Jones
5 Marcos Rojo
7 Memphis Depay
8 Juan Mata
9 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
10 Wayne Rooney
11 Anthony Martial
12 Chris Smalling
14 Jesse Lingard
15 Adnan Januzaj
16 Michael Carrick
17 Daley Blind
18 Ashley Young
19 Marcus Rashford
20 Sergio Romero
21 Ander Herrera
22 Henrikh Mkhitaryan
23 Luke Shaw
24 Timothy Fosu-Mensah
25 Antonio Valencia
27 Marouane Fellaini
28 Morgan Schneiderlin
31 Bastian Schweinsteiger
32 Sam Johnstone
33 Paddy McNair
36 Matteo Darmian
38 Axel Tuanzebe
43 Cameron Borthwick-Jackson
44 Andreas Pereira
48 Will Keane
Historic Manchester derby in doubt due to rain!
United’s historic Manchester derby with City in Beijing on Monday looks to be in danger of postponement.
There has been heavy rain in the Chinese capital with some local reports putting the game at the Olympic Bird’s Nest Stadium in doubt.
City, who lost 1-0 in Germany to Bayern Munich on Wednesday, are scheduled to play Borussia Dortmund next week in Shenzhen on Thursday, July 28.