Chelsea unveiled Alexandre Pato as their latest signing today, and the Brazilian could be about to be bestowed with the honour of a legendary shirt jersey at Stamford Bridge.
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The Blues have confirmed the arrival of the 26-year-old on loan from Corinthians until the end of the season, but not which squad number he will wear. Could it be No. 11?
That is the number that Pato has played with most recently, while on a successful loan at Sao Paulo, and it is one that has been worn by some of Chelsea’s finest ever players.
Didier Drogba is the best example. Chelsea’s 2012 Champions League hero scored 164 goals in 381 games for the club and vacated the shirt upon leaving at the end of last season.
Juan Cuadrado, a £26m flop from the last January window, briefly took it on before returning to Italy with Juventus, but he is an exception to the rule when it comes to Chelsea No. 11s.
FA Cup-winning captain Dennis Wise, multiple-time title winner Damien Duff, Oscar and Boudewijn Zenden are the only others to have worn the sacred shirt in the Premier League era.
It would make sense for Pato to pick up where he left off at Sao Paulo and inherit Chelsea’s No.11 jersey. It might prove to be a good luck charm which earns the forward a permanent transfer.
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