Brand new Chelsea signing takes shirt number previously worn by three strikers of African descent

Through a statement on the club's official website, Premier League giants Chelsea have confirmed that a squad number has been given to brand new signing Liam Delap following his transfer from Ipswich Town. 

Delap completed his move to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday evening, signing a contract until 2031.

The Blues took advantage of a release clause and signed Delap from the Tractor Boys for around €35 ​​million.

In his first season at Chelsea, Delap will wear the number 9 at the back of his jersey.

The last three players to wear Chelsea’s iconic No. 9 shirt were all strikers of African descent: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Romelu Lukaku and Tammy Abraham. 

The number was also previously worn by Gonzalo Higuaín, Álvaro Morata, Radamel Falcao, Fernando Torres, Franco Di Santo, Steve Sidwell, Khalid Boulahrouz, Hernán Crespo, Mateja Kežman, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Chris Sutton and Gianluca Vialli.

Delap scored twelve goals in 37 Premier League matches last season, making him one of the rising stars of the English top flight. 

The current England U21 international joins the club as part of the special transfer window opened by FIFA for the Club World Cup.

The number 9 shirt could historically be seen as a bad omen for Delap as previous strikers who wore it — including Lukaku, Gonzalo Higuaín, and Radamel Falcao — had unsuccessful spells at Chelsea.

Delap was nominated for the Premier League's Young Player of the Season at the end of the campaign. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel