Izuchukwu OkosiNigeria-eligible trio of Noni Madueke, Carney Chukwuemeka and Lesley Ugochukwu have been handed jersey numbers at Chelsea ahead of the brand new 2023/2024 Premier League season.
Madueke and Chukwuemeka were part of the Blues campaign after arriving from PSV and Aston Villa respectively while Ugochukwu was signed from French Ligue 1 side, Lorient.
New Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has overseen a major shake-up at Stamford Bridge this summer, with a number of incomings and outgoings as the Blues look to bounce back from their worst ever Premier League campaign.
With a number of proven Premier League stars having departed Stamford Bridge, there will be jersey numbers designated to the players available to the club as well as a fee expected incomings.
Madueke who wore the number 31 last season will now dorn the number 11 shirt after Joao Felix returned to Atletico Madrid following his short loan stint at Stamford Bridge.
Carney Chukwuemeka has been given number 17 for the new season while new buy, Ugochukwu will take up the number 16 jersey.
Other changes in jersey numbers will see record signing, Enzo Fernandez take up the number 8 jersey following the sale of Matteo Kovacic to Manchester City.
Christopher Nkunku wore the number 45 during the pre season tour of the United States but will wear number 15 next season while Raheem Sterling vacates the number 17 for 7.
Nicolas Jackson takes up number 15 and Ben Colwill will be the new number 26 worn by legendary John Terry, and later Kalidou Koulibaly.
Former Arsenal target Mykhaylo Mudryk is the new Chelsea number 10 after Christian Pulisic signed for AC Milan.
Axel Disasi takes up number two, Malo Gusto will wear number 27 and Andrey Santos is bber 20.
Chelsea’s first game of the season is a blockbuster clash against Liverpool on Sunday.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
Follow Us