Why Rice May Not Wear His Favorite Jersey Number At Arsenal

Declan Rice is on the verge of joining Arsenal, but he might not get to keep his beloved No. 41 jersey.

The English midfielder, who has spent several years with West Ham, is set to become Arsenal’s most expensive signing in the club’s history, but the Gunners may not let him keep his favorite No. 41 shirt.

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The player has not yet signed any paperwork, even though the details of the agreement have been agreed upon by all parties.

However, Rice might not be allowed to choose his preferred shirt number after the contract is finalized because the club often forbids players from choosing numbers other than the approved “senior numbers.”

When Alex Iwobi, a former attacker, was unable to wear his favorite No. 45 jersey, he was forced to settle for the No. 17.

Back in 2020, in an Instagram live, Iwobi revealed: “I actually loved big 45 when I came into the scene in the first place, it was a youth team number at Arsenal but they told me to change to a senior number, so the next available that was 17. Ever since then, it’s been that number and you’ve got to love it.”

During a 2022 episode of The Overlap, Rice explained why he chose to wear the No. 41 shirt when playing for West Ham.

He explained: “It was only a number the kitman, Jamo, gave me in the academy. You clearly have first-team squad numbers when you’re in the U23s, and then it starts to build up when you’re in the U23s.

The midfielder will be hoping that the Gunners make an exception and let him pick his preferred number.

Meanwhile, West Ham is reportedly aiming to complete the transfer of Declan Rice to Arsenal by Monday, as negotiations between the two clubs for the midfielder continue.

While the Hammers have agreed to sell Rice to the Gunners for a record fee, they have yet to reach a consensus on the payment structure.

However, there is a mutual willingness from both clubs to find a resolution to this issue. According to The Sun, West Ham is eager to finalise the deal by Monday.

It may necessitate compromises from both sides, as they are currently some distance apart in their respective positions.