{"id":21192,"date":"2026-07-25T05:39:21","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T05:39:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=21192"},"modified":"2026-07-25T05:39:21","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T05:39:21","slug":"chelsea-pre-season-squad-numbers-confirmed-as-marco-palestra-claims-iconic-blues-shirt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=21192","title":{"rendered":"Chelsea pre-season squad numbers confirmed as Marco Palestra claims iconic Blues shirt"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"post-378443\">\n<div class=\"article-follow\">\n<div class=\"article-sharing google-follow\">  <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"28\" height=\"28\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thechelseachronicle.com\/wp-content\/themes\/grv-media\/img\/google-discover.svg\" alt=\"\"\/> <span>Add as preferred source on Google<\/span>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Ahead of Chelsea\u2019s pre-season tour of Asia and Australia, the shirt numbers of a couple of players have raised eyebrows.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>Chelsea\u2019s pre-season tour is officially underway, but Xabi Alonso will have to manage without a few notable names. Summer arrivals Emmanuel Emegha and Geovany Quenda both missed out on the traveling squad due to unfortunate injury setbacks. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-grvmedia-grv-video GRVMultiVideo\"\/>\n<p>Emegha picked up a hamstring issue in a recent behind-closed-doors friendly against Bromley, while Quenda is nursing a minor injury of his own.<\/p>\n<p>Add in key international stars still on extended post-World Cup breaks to recharge, and Alonso\u2019s early preparations will rely heavily on younger talent stepping up.<\/p>\n<section class=\"grv-talking-point\" data-trigger=\"vue-sidebar\" data-story-id=\"5a9c74ee-9dfb-4c17-80a3-f12c2bcadb5e\" data-story-name=\"Talk Chelsea\" data-comment-id=\"c1d6ae58-c5c7-4bca-b3de-42b9c1a73899\" data-story-slug=\"talk-chelsea\">\n<div class=\"grv-talking-point__inner\">\n<header class=\"grv-talking-point__header\">  <\/header>\n<div class=\"grv-talking-point__content\">\n<div class=\"grv-talking-point__cta\">\n<div class=\"grv-talking-point__title-wrap\">\n<p><h3 class=\"grv-talking-point__title\">How do you rate each of Chelsea\u2019s new signings 1\ufe0f\u20e3-\ud83d\udd1f?<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"grv-talking-point__embed\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 991px) 100vw, 800px\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/07\/split-of-four-graphic-2-819x1024.png\" alt=\"Chelsea's signings under Xabi Alonso\" class=\"wp-image-378398\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/07\/split-of-four-graphic-2-819x1024.png 819w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/07\/split-of-four-graphic-2-240x300.png 240w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/07\/split-of-four-graphic-2-768x960.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/07\/split-of-four-graphic-2-912x1140.png 912w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/07\/split-of-four-graphic-2-600x750.png 600w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/07\/split-of-four-graphic-2.png 1080w\"\/><\/div><figcaption title=\"(Photo by Glyn KIRK \/ IKIMAGES \/ AFP) (Photo by GLYN KIRK\/IKIMAGES\/AFP via Getty Images), (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA\/Getty Images), (Photo by Darren Walsh\/Chelsea FC via Getty Images), (Photo by Darren Walsh\/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)\">Photo by Darren Walsh\/Chelsea FC via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-chelsea-confirm-squad-numbers-for-pre-season-tour\">Chelsea confirm squad numbers for pre-season tour<\/h2>\n<p>Chelsea have officially confirmed their squad numbers for the upcoming pre-season tour, with fresh arrivals and rising academy talents securing their shirts. <\/p>\n<p>The standout from the update is new defender Marco Palestra taking over the historic No. 2 shirt, which was worn by both Antonio Rudiger and Branislav Ivanovic, so no pressure. <\/p>\n<p>Here is the full list of Chelsea\u2019s squad numbers for pre-season, which are the subject of potential change for when it comes to competitive games.<\/p>\n<p>Robert Sanchez is taking the No. 1 shirt, new arrival Marco Palestra, as mentioned, inherits the No. 2 shirt, Tosin Adarabioyo wearing No. 4, and Levi Colwill occupying No. 6. <\/p>\n<p>Elsewhere, Liam Delap will hope to lead the line in the No. 9 shirt, Cole Palmer retains the iconic No. 10, Jamie Gittens takes No. 11, Filip Jorgensen is assigned No. 12, Dario Essugo wears No. 14, Mamadou Sarr takes No. 19, Joao Pedro keeps his No. 20, and Jorrel Hato claims No. 21.<\/p>\n<p>Further down the squad, goalkeepers and defenders are well represented, with Teddy Sharman-Lowe at No. 28, Wesley Fofana in No. 29, Aaron Anselmino wearing No. 30, Reggie Watson as No. 31, Madhi Nicoll-Jazuli taking No. 32, Omari Kellyman with No. 33, Josh Acheampong assigned No. 34, Ted Curd at No. 35, Dastan Satpayev taking No. 36, and Tayo Subuloye taking No. 37. <\/p>\n<p>The list rounds out with young prospects and new faces including Estevao Willian in the No. 41 jersey, Calvin Diakite at No. 42, Romeo Lavia wearing No. 45, Reggie Walsh assigned No. 46, Landon Emenalo at No. 56, and Ryan Kavuma-McQueen wearing No. 76.<\/p>\n<div class=\"see-more-wrapper lazy see-more-open see-more-blank extra-content\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.thechelseachronicle.com\/news\/chelsea-pre-season-squad-numbers-confirmed-as-marco-palestra-claims-iconic-blues-shirt\/none\" data-type=\"subscribe\">\n<div class=\"see-more subscribe\">\n<figure class=\"newsletter\">\n<div><svg class=\"loading\" width=\"118\" height=\"36\" viewbox=\"0 0 118 36\"><use href=\"#dots-svg\"\/><\/svg><\/p>\n<div class=\"signup\"><span class=\"hf\">Join Our Newsletter<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><script>grvLoadAnalytics = () => {(function(d,s,i){var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)(0),j=d.createElement(s);j.async=true;j.src=\"https:\/\/www.googletagmanager.com\/gtag\/js?id=\"+i;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(document,'script','G-E7VRWQHDP6');(function(d,s,i){if(!\/callback=in\/.test(window.location.search)){var e=d.createElement(s);var n=d.getElementsByTagName(s)(0);e.type=\"text\/javascript\";e.async=true;e.src=\"https:\/\/static.chartbeat.com\/js\/chartbeat.js\";n.parentNode.insertBefore(e,n);}})(document,\"script\",\"G-E7VRWQHDP6\");(function(){let 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\/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Add as preferred source on Google Ahead of Chelsea\u2019s pre-season tour of Asia and Australia,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21193,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chelsea"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21192","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21192"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21192\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/21193"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}