It now looks only a matter of time before Ryan Gravenberch signs for Liverpool, with the 21-year-old set to undergo a medical on Merseyside this morning.
The Reds have agreed a deal with Bayern Munich worth £34.5m to make the Dutchman their fourth midfield signing of the summer (Sky Sports), with the move in line to be confirmed in the final hours of the transfer window.
Assuming there are no last-minute hitches and the signing is finalised today, any fans hoping to get his name on the back of their shirt could be eagerly anticipating what squad number he’ll be given.
READ MORE: Injury news: Jurgen Klopp rules out Liverpool duo for Aston Villa clash on Sunday
As per Transfermarkt, the full set of 1 to 11 is currently occupied at Anfield, so Gravenberch is guaranteed to have double digits on his back if his transfer to Liverpool is officially sealed.
However, there are a few sub-20 options available to him – the Dutchman could have his pick of 12, 14, 15 or 16, with the middle two vacated by Jordan Henderson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain this summer.
Beyond that, other famous numbers he could choose include 23 (formerly of Robbie Fowler, Jamie Carragher and Luis Diaz) and 27 (Divock Origi).
VOTE for Empire of the Kop as Best Club Content Creator (Premier League) here: Football Content Awards OR on X with Empire’s one-click X link with:
I am voting in @The_FCAs for @empireofthekop in Best Club Content Creator (Premier League)
As per Liverpool Echo, though, Gravenberch may well go with the number he wore at Bayern (and for a time at Ajax), with the number 38 shirt vacant at Anfield for five years since Jon Flanagan’s departure.
All three of the Reds’ summer signings so far were able to pounce upon the 1-11 range (Wataru Endo 3, Dominik Szoboszlai 8, Alexis Mac Allister 10), but the Dutchman probably won’t mind sticking with a squad number with which he’s familiar.
All we need now is to see him holding up a Reds shirt with his name (and maybe number?) on the back for photographs to accompany an official announcement from the club!
#Ep88 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones🎙️