Romelu Lukaku is set to reprise his old number for Chelsea after completing a £97million return to Stamford Bridge, the Mirror reported late Thursday.
The Blues unveiled Lukaku, 28, on Thursday evening after agreeing a club-record fee to re-sign their former striker from Inter Milan.
The Belgian fired Inter to the Serie A title last season and returns to the Premier League after two years on from his Manchester United departure.
Lukaku wore the No. 9 jersey for the Nerazzurri and the Red Devils, while he donned No. 10 for previous club Everton.
But neither of those squad numbers are available at Chelsea, with Tammy Abraham occupying No. 9 and Christian Pulisic No. 10.
As such, Lukaku is set to wear No. 18 for the Blues – the same number he was given when he joined from Anderlecht almost a decade ago.
The Premier League’s official website has listed Lukaku as No. 18 , with the jersey most recently worn by Olivier Giroud before his move to AC Milan earlier this summer.
He failed to find the back of the net in 15 appearances for the west London club and spent the majority of his time on their books out on loan.
Since then, however, Lukaku has blossomed into one of the finest strikers in Europe and his accumulated transfer fees total £285million.
Although he has been listed as No. 18, Lukaku may yet be given his ideal No. 9 shirt – which he wears for the Belgium national team – as Chelsea are yet to officially announce his squad number.
The Mirror
