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Chelsea have officially confirmed their squad numbers for the upcoming season, with Joao Pedro taking the prestigious No.9 shirt from Liam Delap. Pedro has been rewarded after an outstanding debut campaign, while Delap's future at Stamford Bridge remains uncertain as the club reshuffle their squad ahead of Monday's opening fixture.

Joao Pedro takes No.9 shirt

Chelsea have introduced major changes to their squad numbers before the new season, with Pedro's switch to the No.9 jersey standing out most prominently. He takes over the shirt after an excellent previous campaign in which he was named Player of the Year, contributing 20 goals and nine assists in all competitions.

As a result, Delap has dropped to No.12. The forward, who had worn the No.9 since joining from Ipswich Town in 2025, is now being heavily linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge. Last season, the striker scored only three goals in 47 appearances and is reportedly available for transfer before the window shuts.

Delap weighs up transfer options

Even though he still has five years left on his current contract, Delap is one of a number of forwards who could leave. Chelsea also have Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu as options, which pushes him further down the pecking order. He would prefer to stay in England next season and is hoping for interest from within the Premier League.

Italian club Como have already expressed interest in signing him, but Delap is prepared to wait for opportunities in England. Alongside the changes in attack, Chelsea have also updated several other squad numbers across the side as manager Xabi Alonso gets his team ready for the season ahead.

Fofana and Rogers get new numbers

Elsewhere, Wesley Fofana has been given a new shirt number, taking the No.3 jersey that was previously worn by former Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella. Since arriving from Leicester City four years ago, Fofana had previously worn both No.33 and No.29 for Chelsea.

At the same time, British-record signing Morgan Rogers will wear the No.17 shirt for Alonso's side this season, following former Chelsea names such as Eden Hazard, Mohamed Salah and Raheem Sterling. In addition, Mykhailo Mudryk has been assigned the No.33 shirt after being cleared to return to action, giving up his previous No.10, which is now with Cole Palmer.

What next for Chelsea?

Chelsea start their season away to local rivals Fulham on Monday night. As Alonso looks to complete his squad plans, the club still have decisions to make over outgoing transfers, especially in Delap's case. Supporters will be watching closely at Craven Cottage to see how Pedro and Chelsea's newly renumbered players perform as they look to begin their domestic campaign with a win.