Alejandro Garnacho takes bizarre Chelsea shirt number in questionable nod to Man Utd days after completing £40m transfer

Chelsea have confirmed Garnacho will wear the No.49 shirt for the Blues following his long-awaited arrival from United. Interestingly, the number is the same one he wore during his first two seasons in the first team at Old Trafford, something the Blues were strangely keen to point out.

There is no doubt that Garnacho views his breakthrough years as the most memorable of his career so far. Nevertheless, it is a questionable decision to show sentiment towards his past at United so soon after a public falling-out with the club and its head coach Ruben Amorim. Garnacho will hope to invoke the spirit of 2022-23, when he looked to have the world at his feet aged 18, as he settles into life at Stamford Bridge.

Garnacho made 144 appearances for United before his relationship with the club turned sour, scoring 26 goals. Surprisingly, the 2024-25 season was his most productive in front of goal despite the Argentina international falling out of favour under Amorim, as he struck 11 goals in 58 appearances in all competitions.

Garnacho will know as well as anyone that this is a big year for his career. Not only does he have a new club, manager and set of fans to impress, but it is a World Cup year and the new Blues star will dream of representing Argentina on the world stage for the first time in the USA, Canada and Mexico. He will hope to achieve a lot in his new No.49 shirt at Stamford Bridge, playing for a side he proclaims to be the "world's best".