Real Madrid have kept their No. 9 shirt number free with the club aiming to sign either Harry Kane or Kylian Mbappe this summer.
Marquee summer signing Jude Bellingham has taken the No.5 shirt in a move that emulates the legendary Zinedine Zidane in the Spanish capital. England international Bellingham, who is still just 19, has signed a six-year deal in the Spanish capital and joins after three seasons in Germany with Borussia Dortmund.
The No.22 Bellingham sported for Dortmund and at first club Birmingham City is currently occupied by Antonio Rudiger, while Real's No.5 last season was defender Jesus Vallejo who has now switched to No.24, amid rumours that he could depart the Spanish capital club this summer.
"I wanted to thank Vallejo for giving me number 5," Bellingham said at his introductory press conference on Thursday.
"I asked him if he cared and he's a great guy. I admire Zidane a lot and it's a number that inspires me. I don't want to be like him, because I'm different, I'm delighted to wear this number. It's an honour.
"The shirt itself is a great responsibility. He (Zidane) is a player I have always valued, for me he has been the best. I want to expand the legacy of the number."
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After the currently unoccupied No.9, the next available option is 14, which has been vacant since Casemiro joined Manchester United last summer. That jersey has previously been worn by the likes of Xabi Alonso, Guti and Raul.
No. 11 had been an option following Marco Asensio's exit but that was handed to Rodrygo on Monday. Rodrygo had vacated the No.21 jersey, which had previously been owned by Martin Odegaard and Santiago Solari, but that has been taken by Brahim Diaz – who has returned from a loan stint at Milan.
Madrid’s focus is now focused on signing strikers after Karim Benzema confirmed his exit from the Spanish giants last week while Eden Hazard, Asensio and Mariano Diaz – the latter of whom was the only recognised central striker in Madrid’s senior squad – are all departing as free agents this summer.
At a key transfer meeting recently, Ancelotti made it clear to club president Florentino Perez and Real Madrid's general manager Jose Angel Sanchez, who is primarily tasked with concluding transfers, that he wanted Kane as his number one target.
Kane, 29, is out of contract at Tottenham next summer and this summer is the last opportunity Spurs have to cash in on the striker before risking him leaving as a free agent. They are likely to resist any offers for their star striker but the club’s preference would be to sell him to a club outside of England and not to a direct rival.
Elsewhere, Mbappe confirmed he would not renew his contract with Paris Saint-Germain with speculation ramping up that he could move to Madrid this summer.
Mbappe’s intentions of leaving the Parc des Princes and not renewing his contract beyond this summer means that PSG will look to sell their striker this summer, rather than risk the possibility of the France international leaving as a free agent next summer.
