Barcelona have announced that Philippe Coutinho will wear the No.7 shirt this season, switching from the No.14 jersey that he wore last year.
As per ESPN, the Brazilian international joined the Catalan giants from Liverpool in January for a reported fee of around £142m.
His influence was immediate last season as he scored eight goals and provided five assists in 18 La Liga games, along with two goals and an assist in four Cup outings while he was cup-tied for the Champions League.
Those contributions were key in delivering a domestic double last season, and he’ll look to improve further this year having now had time to settle and find his feet at the Nou Camp.
However, as per the tweet from the club below, he’ll do so with a new number on his back as it’s been confirmed that Coutinho will wear the No.7.
Some star names have worn the shirt number previously, including the likes of Luis Figo, Pedro, David Villa and Javier Saviola.
In turn, it comes with an additional level of responsibility, with Coutinho now hoping to further establish himself as a fundamental figure in Ernesto Valverde’s side as they chase major honours again this season.
The 26-year-old’s influence in the final third will likely have to grow after the exit of Andres Iniesta this summer, and while the No.7 jersey does carry additional weight, Coutinho has shown thus far that he is more than capable of playing a crucial role for Barcelona.
? A new shirt number for @Phil_Coutinho
? Can you guess what it is?
?? https://t.co/CNxZFHyL3P— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 9, 2018