Kai Havertz’s imminent move to Arsenal will not be followed by a spectacular shirt number reveal.
That’s because the 24-year-old will likely have already decided on a specific shirt number at the Emirates Stadium – his favoured number 29.
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The number is seldom used by attacking players who prefer to select numbers such as seven, nine, ten and 11.
But Havertz has adopted the No.29 since breaking through the ranks at Bayer Leverkusen and hasn’t looked back since.
Upon signing for Chelsea in 2020, the German forward was so insistent on continuing with the number that the now-former Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori switched shirt numbers so he could take the 29.
The choice of number dates back to his youth when he played video games with his brother Jan.
“When I was young I always used to play FIFA or Pro Evolution Soccer with my brother,” Havertz told The Athletic in 2021.
“We always made ourselves in the game. My brother always put number 29 on his shirt.
“When I came to the professional game and Leverkusen asked me what number I wanted to have, I asked them which numbers were free. When they said 29, I said I’d take it because of my brother.”
“Sometimes it’s lucky for me, sometimes not, but I like the number and now I think everybody knows me for it.”
Havertz was also quizzed on the choice during a Twitter Q&A last summer.
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When asked if the number was special to him, he replied: “Me and brother used to use 29 when we created ourself on FIFA05,”
Havertz has to make do with number seven for Germany as international numbers do not go as high as 29.
