Bradley Barcola has already confirmed which shirt number he will wear at Liverpool. The France international is set to finalise a £123million move to Anfield this weekend, with a medical booked and a five-year contract ready to be signed.
Barcola will become Liverpool's headline signing of the summer, replacing the departed Mohamed Salah, with just a few days of the transfer window remaining. While Salah wore the No11 shirt at Anfield, Barcola is expected to pick a different number, one he says he will "never let go".
The No29 choice and its FIFA origins
Also available are 13, 16, 17, 24, 26 and 27, but it is No29 that Barcola is set to pick - all because of the video game FIFA. In an interview with Club Legacyz last year, Barcola explained his preferred shirt number choice.
He said: "It's actually a funny story. When I was younger, I used to play FIFA. In the story mode with Alex Hunter, this number became symbolic for me. I thought to myself: 'The day I go pro, it'll be number 29.' And here I am, I adopted it, and now I'll never let it go."
Previous wearers of the No29 shirt
Alex Hunter was the main character in FIFA's 'The Journey' story mode, starting in FIFA 17, where players could embody the player and guide him through the ranks from non-league to the top of the game. Fans have often compared Hunter to Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford, who emerged around the same time as Hunter's first appearance.
Barcola will become the first Liverpool player since Arthur Melo in the 2022-23 season to wear the No29 shirt. Other players to have pulled on the shirt include Dominic Solanke, Fabio Borini and goalkeepers Stephen Wright and Brad Friedel.
His preferred goal celebration
In the same interview, Barcola also opened up about his celebration. The Frenchman often points his fingers to the sky after scoring a goal. He said: "Every player has their own way of celebrating, and for me, it's by pointing my fingers to the sky. I thank God for everything he's given me. It's my way of paying homage to him every time I score."
