Elliot Anderson Takes City's Historic No.5 Shirt

Elliot Anderson has been handed one of the heaviest shirts in the dressing room – City’s No.5.

The new signing steps straight into a lineage that includes club greats and serial winners, most recently close friend and England colleague John Stones, who left this summer after a decade, 20 trophies and a place in City folklore. Before them, the No.5 sat on the backs of figures such as Pablo Zabaleta, Sylvain Distin, Andy Morrison, Paul Power and Tommy Booth – names that carry weight with every generation of supporters.

Now it belongs to Anderson. No easing-in, no quiet number on the fringes. A statement number for a player expected to grow into its history.

Guéhi moves into Ake’s shirt

At the heart of defence, Marc Guéhi has his own symbolic switch. The centre-back, who arrived in January and wore No.15 during City’s Carabao Cup and FA Cup double in 2025/26, will now wear No.6, the shirt vacated by Nathan Ake.

For Guéhi, it is a return to familiar territory. He wore No.6 throughout his five-year stay at Crystal Palace, where he established himself as one of the Premier League’s most reliable defenders. The number has followed his rise, and now it sits on his back in a squad chasing the biggest prizes in the game.

Donnarumma takes the gloves – and the No.1

Behind them, there is a new first choice in every sense. Gianluigi Donnarumma has been confirmed as City’s No.1, taking over the shirt previously worn by James Trafford, who completed a permanent move to Leeds last week.

The Italian had been listed as No.25 last season, but the switch feels inevitable for a goalkeeper who already wears No.1 for Italy and did so in his final year at PSG. That campaign ended with a clean sweep of domestic and European honours: Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, the Trophée des Champions and the UEFA Champions League. Now he steps into a number steeped in City goalkeeping history.

Frank Swift, Bert Trautmann, Joe Corrigan, Tony Coton, Joe Hart – some of the club’s most iconic figures have guarded the posts in that shirt. Donnarumma joins that line, with expectation to match the tradition.

Rulli returns to his roots with 28

There is another new name on the goalkeeper list. Gerónimo Rulli, confirmed as a City player earlier today, will wear No.28.

For Rulli, the choice carries a nod to his beginnings. He started his professional career in the same number at Estudiantes de La Plata, and now the 28 follows him into one of Europe’s most demanding squads.

With Anderson’s bold step into No.5, Guéhi anchoring himself in No.6, Donnarumma embracing the responsibility of No.1 and Rulli reconnecting with his first number, City’s new season squad list is more than a set of digits. It sketches out a fresh hierarchy, new leaders, and a dressing room quietly reshaped before a ball has even been kicked.