Chelsea confirm full list of 2022/23 squad numbers - including Sterling & Koulibaly | OneFootball

Chelsea have confirmed their full list of squad numbers for the 2022/23 season, with new signings Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly to wear 17 and 26 respectively.

Meanwhile, the returning Conor Gallagher will have 23, while recently announced new arrival Carney Chukwuemeka has been assigned number 30. Armando Broja has 18.

Sterling and Kouliably both wore the same shirts during pre-season but their jerseys were still subject to change until the Premier League’s squad number deadline. However, Gallagher was assigned 38 and later 15 for pre-season games played in July.

Sterling wore number seven throughout his time at Manchester City prior to this summer’s high profile move to west London. He couldn’t keep the same number at Chelsea but by wearing 17 will at least retain a connection to the seven in some capacity.

The number 17 was occupied last season by disappointing loan signing Saul Niguez, who has since returned to parent club Atletico Madrid.

Koulibaly had a long association with the number 26 during his eight years at Napoli and recently contacted Stamford Bridge legend John Terry about taking it over at Chelsea. No other player has worn it since Terry left the club in 2017.

A handful of shirts, including two, four and nine remain unoccupied.

Confirmed Chelsea squad numbers - 2022/23