Revealed: The possible shirt numbers for imminent Manchester City signing Vitor Reis | OneFootball

Manchester City are on the verge of bringing in one of Brazil’s very best young talents, but what shirt numbers could be available to Vitor Reis upon moving in to the Etihad Stadium?

The Premier League champions have moved swiftly to ensure that they have beaten a growing list of potential suitors for the 19-year-old this month, with Brighton & Hove Albion in particular having seen their own bid for the player rejected earlier in January.

Palmeiras have also seen their own resolve for the player defeated after originally hoping to retain Vitor Reis until after this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup, with Manchester City meeting their financial valuation of the player.

It is now believed that Manchester City have agreed a £29.5 million transfer fee for the versatile centre-back with no add-ons, however should the player leave the club in future for more than €60 million, then Palmeiras would be entitled to a €5 million fee.

There is no intention from the Etihad Stadium to sanction a loan exit for Reis this month either, with the feeling being that the player is ready for immediate first-team football under Pep Guardiola, particularly amid their ongoing defensive struggles.

With Vitor Reis now understood to be in the UK, medical testing and various media commitments are due to commence in the coming hours and days, as well as the choice of what shirt number to adopt within the Manchester City squad.

A range of different squad numbers are available to Reis, including his existing Palmeiras number of 44, which was most recently worn by the likes of Karim Rekik, Dedryck Boyata, and Willo Flood at Manchester City.

Squad numbers 12, 13, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29, and 30 are also available, as well as 34 through to 46 consecutively.

Vitor Reis will become Manchester City’s first-ever centre-back to emerge from Brazil, but follows a long list of iconic names to come from the South American nation and don the Sky Blue shirt at the Etihad Stadium.

The number 23 shirt number was retired by Manchester City in 2003 as a mark of respect to the late midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe.