Why Donnarumma Can’t Wear His Favoured Number at Man City
- Think Football Ideas
- Sep 5
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 16
Donnarumma Forced to Drop No.99 Shirt After Premier League Ruling
Gianluigi Donnarumma’s switch from Paris Saint-Germain to Manchester City on deadline day brought an end to months of speculation over his future. PSG’s decision to move forward with Lucas Chevalier opened the door, and City seized the opportunity with a €35 million deal.
The Italian goalkeeper became the club’s final signing of a busy summer, arriving alongside Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Rayan Cherki, James Trafford, Sverre Nypan, and Marcus Bettinelli.
The 25-year-old has long been identified with the number 99 shirt, a nod to his birth year. It was the number he wore during his breakthrough years at AC Milan and initially at PSG, before taking the number 1 jersey in Paris last season.
A return to his favoured number seemed likely when he touched down in Manchester, especially as it had never been used at the Etihad before.
However, Donnarumma’s request was blocked by Premier League regulations. The league tightened its stance on higher squad numbers in recent years, favouring traditional ranges to preserve uniformity across teams.
Although technically players can be assigned numbers between 1 and 99, governing officials now encourage clubs to select more conventional allocations, particularly for senior professionals. The decision is rooted in maintaining clarity and consistency in matchday environments.
There is precedent for such refusals. Renato Sanches experienced a similar problem in 2017 after joining Swansea City. The Portuguese midfielder wanted to wear 85 but was instead given 35 after the league cited continuity guidelines.
While youth players have occasionally been allowed unusual numbers, James McAtee once featured for City wearing 87, established squad members rarely receive approval for numbers far outside the traditional bracket.
City have now confirmed Donnarumma will wear the number 25 jersey, left vacant after Manuel Akanji’s exit earlier this summer.
The choice is not without meaning for the Italian: his birthday falls on February 25, 1999, giving the number personal significance despite missing out on his trademark 99.
With City’s defensive record under scrutiny and James Trafford yet to convince as a long-term starter, Donnarumma’s arrival is expected to bring stability.
His first appearance could come in one of the biggest fixtures of the season, a derby against Manchester United at the Etihad on September 14.
For City, the hope is that a change in goalkeeper — and in shirt number — will spark a reversal in fortunes after a difficult start to the campaign.
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