The acquisition of a right-footed winger was regarded as one of Chelsea’s pressing priorities heading into the summer transfer window, and the Blues have opted for potential in Jamie Gittens.

The Borussia Dortmund starlet enjoyed a breakout campaign in the Bundesliga last time out, starring under Nuri Sahin while the team faltered as a collective. Niko Kovač was less willing to let the 20-year-old spread his wings after his mid-season arrival, with Gittens’s starts limited during last campaign’s conclusion.

The winger boasts the electricity of a potential superstar and will be expected to deliver in west London from the get-go, with the Blues reportedly splurging an initial £48.5 million ($66.2 million) with a further £3.5 million ($4.8 million) in add-ons to bring the winger to Stamford Bridge.

Gittens may not yet be the finished article, but he’s a name that young supporters in particular may fancy getting on the backs of their slick new strips for 2025–26. But what number could the Englishman wear at his new home?

Gittens’s sole experience of senior football so far has come with Borussia Dortmund, for whom he wore the shirt. There’s no special reason as to why he donned that rather unique number in Germany. It was simply the shirt he was assigned by the club.

For Dortmund’s youth teams (U19s), Gittens wore the more familiar , and he perhaps could’ve taken the shirt from Giovanni Reyna, who’s struggled to excel after breaking through at Signal Iduna Park. The USMNT international has been Dortmund’s No. 7 since 2021.

Before his move to the Bundesliga, Gittens switched between and for Manchester City’s U18s. For England U19s, the winger wore and then for the U21s.

Chelsea’s vast squad means there aren’t too many shirt numbers available for Gittens, but the new arrival could continue with thethat served him well in Dortmund. The Blues have Nos 44 and 45 in Gaga Slonina and Romeo Lavia, respectively, but no 43.

Teenage goalkeeper Ted Curd was assigned No. 43 for 2024–25, while academy graduates Fikayo Tomori and Ryan Bertrand have previously worn the shirt in west London.

If Gittens opts for a change, and 33 are available. The No. 19 vacated by Jadon Sancho was given to Mamadou Sarr for the Club World Cup.