Chelsea have officially reassigned squad numbers for their recent summer signings, Pedro Neto and Joao Felix, signaling a clear shift in the team dynamics.
The Blues recently secured Neto from Wolverhampton Wanderers and announced Felix’s permanent return from Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, a deal that coincided with Conor Gallagher moving in the opposite direction to the Spanish club.
Raheem Sterling and Trevoh Chalobah, both of whom have seen their roles diminish under manager Enzo Maresca, have had their shirt numbers reassigned to the new Portuguese recruits.
Sterling, who was notably left out of the squad in Chelsea’s recent 2-0 defeat to Manchester City, is not part of Maresca’s future plans, as confirmed in a press conference.
Meanwhile, Chalobah has been training separately from the first team, with Chelsea keen to offload both players before the transfer window closes next Friday.
In a statement, Chelsea outlined the changes, “Chelsea can announce the following squad number updates, with confirmation of which number Joao Felix will wear for the Blues.
“The Portugal international, who has returned to Stamford Bridge on a permanent deal from Atletico Madrid, will sport the number 14 shirt for Enzo Maresca’s side this season.
“Meanwhile his fellow countryman, Pedro Neto, will switch from the number 19 he wore against Manchester City to the number seven for the remainder of this campaign.”
The club also noted that the squad numbers could still be subject to further changes before the transfer window shuts at the end of August.
Fans who have already purchased Chelsea shirts with “Pedro Neto 19” from the official megastore or online store will be eligible for an exchange until September 30, provided they have proof of purchase.
These squad number changes are another indicator of the club’s evolving strategy as they aim to finalize their squad for the upcoming season.
