Report: The shirt number Rodri has requested to wear at Barcelona | OneFootball

Barcelona reached an agreement in principle with Manchester City to sign Rodri in a deal worth around €76.5 million.

The Spaniard is set to arrive in the Catalan capital later today before undergoing his medical at the club’s facilities tomorrow.

The idea is to present Rodri in front of the Camp Nou during the Joan Gamper Trophy against Al Hilal.

Now, according to Fabrizio Romano, Rodri is set to be handed a very familiar shirt number at Barça, with the No. 16 jersey now available.

Rodri particularly asked for the jersey number during contract discussions with the club, and Barcelona have decided to grant him that wish.

The number becoming available could hardly have come at a better time, with Fermin moving to the No. 7 shirt vacated following Ferran Torres’ departure.

No. 16 has become Rodri’s number

Rodri set to continue wearing No. 16 at Barcelona. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

For Rodri, the significance is obvious.

The Spanish midfielder has worn No. 16 throughout his Manchester City career, having selected it when he arrived from Atletico Madrid in 2019.

It is also the number associated with him at international level. He wore Spain’s No. 16 while lifting the World Cup around a month ago.

So, with Barcelona deciding to give him 16, there will be no need for Rodri to establish a new identity at his new club.

Fermin has made the decision very easy

The number had belonged to Fermin at Barcelona, but his move to No. 7 has conveniently created the vacancy just as Rodri closes in on becoming a Barça player.

Had the Spanish attacking midfielder wanted to keep that number, it might have been rather uncomfortable to ask him to vacate it for an incoming signing.

However, Fermin seems to have had no problem moving to the iconic No. 7, which was previously worn by many Barça legends.

Arrival imminent. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Aesthetically, it is very difficult to argue against Rodri No. 16. The only other temptation might have been giving him the No. 5, a number Pau Cubarsi already holds.

There is also something fitting about Fermin taking another step forward with a more prominent number while an experienced arrival potentially inherits the shirt he leaves behind.

A number that simply makes sense

Of course, squad numbers are interesting and help sell shirts, but on the pitch, their relevance is very minimal.

Rodri brings control, pausa and intelligence to the midfield, and that will not change whether he wears 16, 6 or 26 on his back.

However, apart from just the sporting part of it, football is also about imagery and marketing.

Certain players become inseparable from certain numbers, and after seven years wearing 16 at Manchester City, Rodri has made it his own.

With Barcelona signing a Ballon d’Or winner, they had to give him the jersey number he wanted, and the club will be grateful to Fermin for being gracious enough to accept the switch.

It remains to be seen how the Catalans’ new No. 16 fares in the upcoming seasons.