Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori is reportedly closing in on a loan transfer to Everton.
And according to Simon Johnson of The Athletic, this would allow new signing Kai Havertz to take the centre-back’s number 29 shirt for the season ahead.
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This is slightly surprising from Chelsea as Tomori looked a promising young talent when he played last season, though he increasingly fell out of favour with Frank Lampard in the latter part of the campaign.
Some Chelsea fans may well feel that Havertz taking Tomori’s number, as reported by Johnson in the tweet below, points towards the young England international eventually leaving Stamford Bridge permanently…
Meanwhile, been told Kai Havertz asked to take Tomori's No 29 shirt number on joining #CFC. It's his favourite number having worn it at Bayer Leverkusen. Tomori was happy to oblige (and that was before talks over loan to #EFC stepped up).
— Simon Johnson (@SJohnsonSport) September 8, 2020
Havertz wore 29 at previous club Bayer Leverkusen, so it may be that that shirt is of some personal significance to him.
Johnson adds that there could be another big squad number change at Chelsea for the new season, with Christian Pulisic taking the number 10 that has been vacated by Willian, who left on a free transfer to Arsenal…
Another shirt number update. Christian Pulisic is #CFC’s new No 10 following Willian’s departure to #AFC. https://t.co/R6IteN5v1n
— Simon Johnson (@SJohnsonSport) September 9, 2020