Every Premier League club’s key free shirt numbers and who could inherit them…

Most clubs have at least one important squad number free for new signings to inherit. There are five No.8 shirts and four No.9s currently up for grabs.
Here are every club’s available numbers between one and 11…
ARSENAL
2 – last held by Hector Bellerin; could be inherited by Aaron Hickey..
9 – last held by Alexandre Lacazette; could be inherited by Gabriel Jesus.
Likely to become available… 1, if Bernd Leno leaves, with Aaron Ramsdale set to take his jersey.
ASTON VILLA
3 – last held by Matt Targett; could be inherited by Lucas Digne or Diego Carlos.
9 – last held by Wesley, who’s in the middle of a year-long loan at Internacional; could be inherited by Danny Ings.
Likely to become available… 8, if Villa find a taker for Morgan Sanson.
BOURNEMOUTH
1 – last held by Freddie Woodman; could be inherited by Mark Travers.
2 – last held by Nat Phillips; could be inherited by Nat Phillips if Bournemouth pay to make the Liverpool defender’s move a permanent arrangement.
3 – last held by Ethan Laird; could be inherited by Adam Smith, who finished last season as first-choice right-back, but the 31-year-old has worn 15 since he joined the Cherries.
BRENTFORD
Thomas Frank has 1 to 11 allocated, with 12 the first available number. The last player to wear 12 was Kamohelo Mokotjo, who left in 2020. We assume the number hasn’t been retired.
BRIGHTON
6 – last held by Michael Karbownik; could be inherited by Jan Paul van Hecke if he stays around after winning Blackburn’s Player of the Season award as a loanee.
8– last held by Yves Bissouma; could be inherited by Moises Caicedo, assuming Bissouma’s move to Spurs goes through without a hitch.
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CHELSEA
2– last held by Antonio Rudiger; could be inherited by Ben Chilwell or Reece James if either fancies being bumped up from 21 and 24 respectively.
4– last held by Andreas Christensen; could be inherited by Jules Kounde, if he ever actually signs.
Likely to become available… 9, when Romelu Lukaku goes back to Inter Milan.
CRYSTAL PALACE
8 – last held by Cheikhou Kouyate; could be inherited by Cheikhou Kouyate if he signs another contract. They’re talking…
EVERTON
2 – last held by Jonjoe Kenny; could be inherited by James Tarkowski.
8– last held by Fabian Delph; could be inherited by Anthony Gordon if the winger wants a promotion from 24.
10 – last held by Gylfi Sigurdsson; could be inherited by Matheus Nunes.
Likely to become available… 7 if Richarlison gets his move to Tottenham or Chelsea.
FULHAM
3 – last held by Michael Hector; could be inherited by Ryan Fredericks, unless Bournemouth beat the Cottagers to the Westr Ham right-back.
4 – last held by Denis Odoi; could be inherited by William Carvalho if the Portugal midfielder finally joins a Premier League club.
LEEDS
8 – last held by Vernon Anita in 2018; could be inherited by Marc Roca.
Likely to become available… 10, if Raphinha is on his way, possibly to Arsenal or Spurs; 7, if Ian Poveda is sent out on loan again.
LEICESTER
The Foxes’ 1 to 11 looks well set, with the only doubt over Youri Tielemans’ no.8.
LIVERPOOL
2 – last held by Nathaniel Clyne; could be inherited by Calvin Ramsay.
Likely to become available… 10, when Bayern Munich cough up for Sadio Mane.
MANCHESTER CITY
1 – last held by Claudio Bravo; could be inherited by no one since Ederson seems attached to his no.31.
4 – last held by Vincent Kompany; could be inherited by no one again since City seem reluctant to give out their former skipper’s number.
Likely to become available… 9, which Erling Haaland will surely take from Gabriel Jesus if the Brazilian moves, most likely to Arsenal.
MANCHESTER UNITED
6 – last held by Paul Pogba; could be inherited by whichever holding midfielder United panic-buy in the final hours of the window.
8 – last held by Juan Mata; could be inherited by Frenkie De Jong, though throughout his career the midfielder has worn 21, which is available after Edinson Cavani departed.
11 – last held by Mason Greenwood; could be inherited by Jadon Sancho since he seems to have little attachment to the 25 he took last season because 7 was taken.
Likely to become available… 3 and 4 could be up for grabs if United shift Eric Bailly and Phil Jones through the door.
NEWCASTLE
The Toon’s numbers are taken but no.4 could become available since it’s hard to see Matty Longstaff playing a role for Eddie Howe after he spent most of last season playing in League Two.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
2 – last held by Djed Spence; could be inherited by Djed Spence, even if the Boro right-back seems to fancy a move to Spurs.
5 – last held by Yuri Ribeiro; could be inherited by Moussa Niakhate.
9 – last held by Keinan Davis; could be inherited by Keinan Davis if Forest make his loan a permanent move.
10 – last held by Joao Carvalho; could be inherited by Ben Brereton Diaz.
11 – last held by Philip Zinckernagel; could be inherited by Philip Zickernagel.
Likely to become available… 1, if Ethan Horvath leaves to pursue first-team football, with Dean Henderson set to take over.
SOUTHAMPTON
3 – last worn by Ryan Bertrand; could be inherited by Tino Livramento.
7 – last worn by Shane Long, whose contract is expiring in less than a fortnight; could be inherited by Romeo Lavia.
TOTTENHAM
9 – last worn by Gareth Bale; could be inherited by Gareth Bale, though it seems unlikely.
Likely to become available… 11 should be up for grabs when Bryan Gil disappears once more, whether on loan or permanently.
WEST HAM
2 – last worn by Winston Reid; could be inherited by Nayef Aguerd
6 – last worn by Matt Upson; could be inherited by no one since it was retired. In honour of Bobby Moore, not Upson.
7 – last worn by Andriy Yarmolenko; could be inherited by Jarrod Bowen, though the England winger has already switched once in his Hammers career, from 17 to 20 which he wore at Hull.
WOLVES
4 – last worn by Jesus Vallejo; could be inherited by Sergio Oliveira, even if the midfielder would prefer to return to Roma.
5 – last worn by Marcal; could be inherited by Max Kilman, who moved to 23 last season after three seasons with 49 on his back.