Chelsea's No.9 Shirt: João Pedro Takes on the Challenge

Chelsea’s new season is almost here, and the shirts are finally set. The club have confirmed squad numbers for 2024-25 – and one decision jumps straight off the page.

João Pedro has taken the No.9.

The weight of Chelsea’s No.9

At most clubs, it’s a striker’s dream shirt. At Chelsea, it has become a running joke, a cautionary tale, a number whispered with a wince.

Fernando Torres wore it. Álvaro Morata wore it. Romelu Lukaku, Radamel Falcao, Gonzalo Higuaín, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mateja Kežman, Franco Di Santo, Tony Cascarino, Chris Sutton. All big reputations, all swallowed to varying degrees by the expectation attached to that blue No.9.

Even those who did reasonably well never truly escaped the feeling of “what if”. Hernán Crespo produced moments but never the dominance his talent promised. Tammy Abraham came closest to restoring the prestige, hitting 15 league goals in 2019-20, yet even that felt like a platform rather than a peak.

The raw numbers tell the story. Since Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink smashed 23 league goals (29 in all competitions) in 2001-02, no Chelsea No.9 has come near that benchmark. Torres did reach 22 goals in all competitions in 2012-13, but it took him 64 appearances and a long Europa League run to get there. He scored just 8 in the league that season.

Liam Delap’s recent spell with the shirt hardly improved the narrative. It’s no surprise he has happily moved away from it.

Into that history steps João Pedro. Will he finally break the pattern, or is he walking straight into the same storm that swallowed so many before him?

Fofana’s fresh start, new faces settle in

The No.9 switch isn’t the only notable change on the list.

Wesley Fofana has moved into Marc Cucurella’s old No.3, a classic defender’s number that feels more in tune with his role at the heart of the back line. His previous No.29 has been handed to new signing Pep Chavarría, giving the summer arrival a prominent squad number from the start.

Dário Essugo and Tosin Adarabioyo have also selected new numbers as the squad reshapes around Chelsea’s latest rebuild.

The full list is now in place, though with more than ten days still left in the transfer window, nothing is completely locked in. The 25-man registration limit will force one or two hard calls before the deadline.

For now, though, one question lingers over Stamford Bridge more than any other: can João Pedro turn that “cursed” No.9 into a symbol of revival, or will it claim another victim?