Tottenham shirt numbers Conor Gallagher could claim after £35m switch, including a big one

Conor Gallagher looks like he will become a Tottenham player this month, which is very exciting. But which shirt number will he take at his new club?

While Tottenham have been looking at central midfield options for a while, and Gallagher’s name is one that had been mentioned a fair bit, no one really expected the former Chelsea man to sign for the Lilywhites.

However, on Monday evening it was reported that a £35m bid was accepted for Gallagher and it was suggested the player was keen on the move.

It was thought Aston Villa would win the race for Gallagher, but it’s looking increasingly likely that Spurs will get their man.

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What shirt numbers are available at Tottenham for Conor Gallagher?

Obviously, the buzz around a new signing is massive, especially with Spurs in desperate need of reinforcements amid a struggling season.

Whether Gallagher is the exact type of player the Lilywhites needed right now is another matter, but it’s still a positive step in the right direction to get someone through the door.

But, what squad number will Gallagher take when he joins the Tottenham first-team squad? Here’s what’s available to him.

He is very unlikely to take it, but the number 2 shirt is still vacant at Spurs. Matt Doherty was the last one to wear that jersey back in 2023, but it wouldn’t really suit Gallagher.

Gallagher could also have the number 5 shirt, which is not a bad shout. That number was vacated by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg last season.

There are a few good options outside the first 11, too. Since Emerson Royal left the club, Spurs have been looking for a new number 12, while number 16 is also available now that Timo Werner is not around.

The same applies to number 18, which Giovani Lo Celso had before he left in 2024. Meanwhile, Brennan Johnson’s high-profile exit was confirmed by Tottenham this month, and he left the number 22 shirt behind.

Bigger numbers like 25 and 27 are also free, although Manor Solomon technically holds the 27, so it would have to be agreed to trade hands while he is out on loan.

If Gallagher wanted to go a little more unorthodox, he could head into the 30s for his new shirt number. There is currently no one wearing the 32, 34, and 38 shirts, while numbers 35 and 36 are held by Ashley Phillips and Alejo Veliz, respecitvely, who are both out on loan.

Gallagher most likely to take number 18

Of all the free numbers, it would seem most likely that Gallagher will take the number 18 shirt. He wore that jersey in the U19s at Chelsea and also on loan at West Brom in the 2020/21 season. He’s also taken that number for England on a couple of occasions.

It’s unclear how Spurs fans would feel about Gallagher taking such an iconic number at the club, though. With the likes of Jermain Defoe and Jurgen Klinsmann wearing the 18 previously, does Gallagher fit the bill?

Gallagher’s favoured shirt number is 23, which he wore during his peak years with Chelsea and on loan at Crystal Palace. Pedro Porro has that shirt at the moment, but maybe Gallagher would drop one lower and take 22? Only time will tell.