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Manchester United squad numbers: No 2 and 9 remain free as numbers for Depay, Schneiderlin and Schweinsteiger are announced

Memphis Depay takes famous No 7 after Angel Di Maria departure

Tom Sheen
Friday 07 August 2015 15:17 BST
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(Getty Images)

New signing Memphis Depay has taken Manchester United's famed No 7 shirt as the club announced their squad numbers for the new season.

The No 7 shirt was left vacant after Angel Di Maria's £46million move to Paris Saint-Germain; the £25m forward had been wearing No 9 in pre-season but has opted to take the shirt previously worn by George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo

It has had less success in recent years, with Di Maria, Antonio Valencia and Michael Owen owning the shirt in the years since Ronaldo's departure to Real Madrid.

No 2 and No 9 are free for next season at the moment after Rafael and Radamel Falcao left the club, while David De Gea retains the No 1 shirt despite continued speculation over his future.

Luke Shaw, meanwhile, has swapped No 3 for 23. The England left-back said: "It's the number I feel comfortable with and probably the one I want to carry on with until I finish my career."

New right-back Matteo Darmian will wear No 36 and goalkeeper Sergio Romero - who could make his debut against Tottenham - takes the No 20 shirt,

Midfield pair Morgan Schneiderlin and Bstian Schweinsteiger both get high numbers with the Frenchman wearing No 28 and the German World Cup winner wearing the No 31 shirt he was famous for at Bayern Munich.

James Wilson is now 19 having previously worn 49 - last season Van Gaal told the teenager that a striker should have the No 9 somewhere on his shirt.

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