Hark! A new signing. Welcome, Antonio Rüdiger, 24 years old, tall and strong, center back, who is also comfortable playing full back. Remind you of anyone? His shirt number certainly should.
Here he is holding up said new shirt; such a lovely shade of blue.
May I introduce you my old and new number: 2⃣! #AR2 #Hustle #AlwaysBelieve #WelcomeRudi @ChelseaFC @premierleague pic.twitter.com/PUoYpqtFEl
— Antonio Rüdiger (@ToniRuediger) July 9, 2017
The no.2 shirt had belonged to a certain Branislav Ivanović for most of the past 10 years but has stood empty for the past six months after Bane left in January to play for Zenit St. Petersburg. So just like Ivanović, Rüdiger is a “natural” center back who can play full back. It’s good to be versatile and provide different options.
Before Ivanović picked it up in 2008, the no.2 also belonged to fellow full backs Glen Johnson, Albert Ferrer, Christian Panucci, Darren Barnard, and of course SuperDan Petrescu. Not bad company for the new arrival, who could’ve also picked the no.6 shirt but opted to go with the same number he had at Roma.