Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho has swapped numbers ahead of the 2018-19 season.
Coutinho, who wore No. 14 after completing a club-record move from Liverpool in January, will now wear No. 7, the Catalan club confirmed on Thursday.
The Brazil international becomes the ninth player to make the number his own since squad numbers were fixed in 1995, and the first since Arda Turan donned the shirt before leaving the club last season.
👕 @Phil_Coutinho has a new shirt number
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 9, 2018
👍 Which is it? Find out here 👉 https://t.co/Tl3TQSYDI1 👈
🔵🔴 #ForçaBarça pic.twitter.com/ffwgg5xxGh
The others to wear the No. 7 shirt were Pedro Rodriguez (2013-2015), David Villa (2010-2013), Eidur Gudjohnsen (2006-2010), Henrik Larsson (2004-2006), Javier Saviola (2001-2004), Alfonso Perez (2000-2001) and former World Player of the Year Luis Figo (1995-2000).
The No. 14 had been made famous by legendary Barcelona player and coach Johan Cruyff.
The 26-year-old Coutinho contributed 10 goals and six assists in 22 matches as he helped the club to league and Copa del Rey titles in his first half a season at the Camp Nou last term.
Coutinho took the number No. 14 during the second half of last season amid reports in Spain that Barcelona had reserved the prestigious No. 7 for Antoine Griezmann.
Griezmann wears the No. 7 both at Atletico Madrid and the France national team and was widely expected to move to the Camp Nou during the current summer transfer window after being identified as a top priority by manager Ernesto Valverde to bolster his attack.
Barca were set to trigger his €100 million release clause to complete the move but in June Griezmann decided to turned down their proposal and instead committed his long-term future to Diego Simeone's side by signing a new deal until 2023.