The “new challenge” Marcus Rashford craved last December was teased in the West Midlands, but the Englishman’s time with Aston Villa proved to be fleeting.

With the Villans happy not to buy the Englishman outright, a cloud of doubt prevailed over Rashford entering the summer, although it was clear that he had no part in Ruben Amorim’s plans.

Another move was inevitable, and Rashford has been gifted the chance to start fresh overseas. While Barcelona are only signing the 27-year-old forward on an initial loan, there’s scope for a refreshed and rejuvenated Rashford to make Catalonia home for the long haul.

He’s been synonymous with an iconic shirt number for seven years at Manchester United, but the England international is unlikely to be offered a premium option on the numerical front at Barça.

Here are Rashford’s potential Barcelona shirt numbers.

Marcus Rashford Shirt Number History

Marcus Rashford
Rashford served as Man Utd’s No. 10 from 2018. | IMAGO/@odysseyimg

The homegrown Rashford broke out in Manchester almost a decade ago wearing the No. 39 shirt, and it didn’t take long for the precocious starlet to emerge as the Red Devils’ No. 10, succeeding the likes of Denis Law, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney.

Rashford spent two seasons as the club’s No. 19 before the big switch was confirmed in August 2018, and the forward enjoyed seven years with 10 on his back. Summer addition Matheus Cunha was confirmed as the club’s latest wearer of the shirt weeks before Barcelona reached an agreement with United over Rashford’s loan.

The 27-year-old wore No. 9 during his brief stay at Aston Villa, a number he previously donned for England’s U21s in 2016. For the national team, Rashford has been handed Nos. 7, 10, 11, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22. He most recently donned 11 when called up by Thomas Tuchel in March.

Barcelona Available Shirt Numbers

Rashford may well have been a contender for Barcelona’s No. 10 shirt if Lamine Yamal wasn’t all generational, and that. The recently-turned 18-year-old has succeeded Ansu Fati as the latest wearer of the shirt immortalized by the likes of Diego Maradona, Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi.

Nos. 7, 9 and 11 also aren’t available, but Rashford could turn to No. 19, which he wore for two seasons at Old Trafford.

La Liga rules stipulate that players registered as part of a club’s “A” squad must wear a number between 1 and 25. So, there will be no nostalgic return to 39 for the Englishman in Catalonia.

Other potential options include 18 (if Pau Victor leaves) and 22.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Marcus Rashford Potential Shirt Numbers at Barcelona.

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