Liverpool shirt numbers: Why new signings wore the 50s

Liverpool shirt numbers looked anything but familiar during the Reds’ opening pre-season friendly against Preston, and supporters quickly noticed the unusual digits stitched on the backs of Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and the rest of Jürgen Klopp’s new arrivals. Here’s the full story behind the temporary allocation and what happens next.

Liverpool shirt numbers and the Preston mystery

When Liverpool ran out at Deepdale, several summer recruits took to the pitch in shirts ranging from 51 to 59. Frimpong sported 54, left-back Kerkez 57, while goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili kept goal in 53. Long-serving Reds immediately asked themselves why the club’s traditional low numbers—2 through 19 in particular—were missing from the newcomers’ jerseys.

Why the Reds opted for high digits

Internally, Liverpool’s kit department planned weeks ahead for the switch from Nike to adidas, a partnership that officially begins on 1 August. Because Nike remains the registered technical partner until midnight on 31 July, Premier League protocols prevent the Reds from printing, selling or publicly wearing adidas-branded shirts in any competitive or televised match before that date. Using placeholder training shirts with generic typefaces—and consequently provisional Liverpool shirt numbers—was the simplest workaround.

Premier League registration rules explained

League regulations allow clubs to assign provisional numbers for friendlies so long as every player wears a unique digit. Permanent squad numbers, however, must be lodged with the Premier League and UEFA before the start of the domestic campaign and the first European play-off round. That paperwork opens on 5 August, giving Liverpool a narrow window to finalise allocations once the adidas kit is unveiled.

What digits could become available?

Last term’s fringe players Nat Phillips (No. 47) and Sepp van den Berg (No. 72) are expected to depart permanently, freeing up lower numbers should new signings prefer them. Meanwhile, Thiago Alcântara’s surprise move to Barcelona releases the coveted No. 6, while Joel Matip’s exit vacates No. 32. Club insiders believe Frimpong favours No. 22, once worn by his Netherlands idol Dirk Kuyt, whereas Kerkez has his eye on No. 3, made famous by cult-hero Allen Kennedy in the 1980s.

Diogo Jota’s 20 retired—temporarily

In an emotional gesture following the Portuguese forward’s season-ending injury, Liverpool confirmed that Jota’s No. 20 shirt will be “rested across all age levels” until he returns to competitive action. The club insists the decision, agreed with both player and coach, is purely symbolic rather than permanent.

Fan reaction to makeshift Liverpool shirt numbers

Social media lit up within minutes of kick-off. One supporter joked that “Frimpong looks like he’s on work experience in 54,” while another quipped that the line-up resembled “a Carabao Cup third-round team sheet.” On Reddit, kit collectors speculated whether the placeholders could become rare memorabilia should Liverpool auction them for charity, as they did with their one-off rainbow-number shirts last season.

Historical precedent for temporary digits

Liverpool shirt numbers have ventured into the 50s before. In 2014, Divock Origi wore 58 throughout pre-season before claiming No. 27. More recently, Harvey Elliott started his debut tour in 67, a number he kept to honour the year of the club’s founding—another reminder that pre-season numbers do not always predict the final allocation.

Commercial benefits of the short delay

Waiting until August allows the club shop to launch the new adidas-branded replica kits with correctly printed names and numbers, preventing the costly re-processing of shirts sold too early. Insiders estimate this saves Liverpool’s retail arm close to £250,000 in potential waste. Fans will be able to pre-order jerseys with official digits online from 2 August, with delivery promised before the Premier League opener against Southampton.

What happens next?

• 28 July – Final pre-season fixture vs. Milan in New York; placeholders still used
• 1 August – adidas x Liverpool kit officially revealed at Anfield fan event
• 2 August – Online and in-store shirt sales open with permanent numbers
• 5 August – Premier League squad registration window opens
• 8 August – UEFA registration deadline for Champions League play-off round

Possible permanent Liverpool shirt numbers for 2024-25

1. Jeremie Frimpong: 22 or 2
2. Milos Kerkez: 3
3. Giorgi Mamardashvili: 13
4. Amadou Onana (deal pending): 8

Klopp happy to keep focus on football

Pressed on the numerical intrigue, the Liverpool manager laughed: “The lads could wear letters instead of numbers and I’d still care more about their positioning and pressing.” Klopp did, however, confirm that every new signing has already requested a preferred number from club staff.

Opinion: a sensible, fan-friendly approach

Temporarily bumping Liverpool shirt numbers into the 50s may look odd on TV, yet it prevents retail chaos and keeps the spotlight on the adidas partnership launch. Supporters might have to wait a fortnight to know whether Frimpong claims No. 22 or Kerkez inherits No. 3, but the short pause feels like a small price to pay for making sure everyone—players, kit men and fans—starts the season on exactly the same page.