Ranking every player wearing Arsenal's No.14 shirt in the Premier League
Eddie Nketiah was given the No.14 shirt at Arsenal - and it's safe to say he has some big boots to fill.
Many players have made the number 14 their own around the world, from Johan Cruyff to Xabi Alonso, and this number has a long history at Arsenal since the introduction of squad numbers in 1993.
"I joined the club when I was 14," Nketiah told the Telegraph after signing his new contract in June 2022.
“I wore 14 on loan at Leeds, and even lived in No 14 at one point. When the opportunity arose to take it, it was hard to say no. know what it means for the club and the fans. It's a nice feeling, an iconic number."
And Arsenal fans are hoping Nketiah can replicate half of what previous starters have produced wearing the famous shirt.
We've ranked all former Arsenal No.14 shirt wearers from worst to best.
4. Martin KeownThe number of teams wasn't much of a thing until the Premier League era and the 1993-94 season saw centre-back Keown do the honours.
The defender's second stint with the London side - Keown played for Aston Villa and Everton in the late 1980s and early 1990s - lasted over a decade and involved the title success of Premier League in 1998, 2002 and 2004.
The bulk of those games have come with the defender wearing 14 on his back too, including in the 1998 FA Cup final when Arsene Wenger's side scored a league double and in section.
Keown eventually usurped Steve Bould's No.5 shirt, perhaps a more fitting number for Arsenal's starting centre-back. And it was the No. 5 shirt Keown wore when he played Ruud van Nistelrooy's neckerchief in 2003.
3. Theo WalcottThe 2007-08 season was a breakthrough campaign for Walcott the first year he wore the No.14 shirt. Chance? You decide.
The former Southampton youngster scored his first Premier League goals for the Gunners and also played his part in Europe - that impression of Speedy Gonzalez against Liverpool will be long remembered.
He would wear the number for nearly a decade before leaving Arsenal for Everton in January 2018.
"I have Thierry's shirt number now but he's not getting it back, even if he comes back for a while," Walcott said shortly before Henry's brief return in 2012. I already told him."< /p>
Of course, Walcott never eclipsed his predecessor, but a number of important goals and 12 years of service was not a bad comeback from the winger.
READ: How the football gods conspired to rob Walcott of hero status at Arsenal
2. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang"I like two numbers, nine and seven," Aubameyang told Arsenal TV in 2020. "But [Alexandre Lacazette] has nine and Miki [Henrikh Mkhitaryan] has had seven.
"I asked Miki before I came, 'Will you take #7?' and he said yes, so I said, 'Okay, I'll try something else'.
The manner of Aubameyang's exit still stings for many, but he was the pride of the No.14 shirt for much of his time at the Emirates Stadium, scoring 92 goals and singlehandedly winning the final of the FA Cup 2020.
1. Thierry HenryArguably the greatest player in Arsenal's history, Henry has redesigned the No.14 shirt in his image, but it was not his original choice.
"I came back [on loan in 2012] with No.12, that's my number actually," Henry told former teammate Cesc Fabregas in 2020, as reported by Metro. “Fourteen is not my number. I took No.14 at Arsenal because Christopher Wreh had No.12, so I didn't want to take it away from him.
"That's why I didn't want to take it away from him. That's why when...
Eddie Nketiah was given the No.14 shirt at Arsenal - and it's safe to say he has some big boots to fill.
Many players have made the number 14 their own around the world, from Johan Cruyff to Xabi Alonso, and this number has a long history at Arsenal since the introduction of squad numbers in 1993.
"I joined the club when I was 14," Nketiah told the Telegraph after signing his new contract in June 2022.
“I wore 14 on loan at Leeds, and even lived in No 14 at one point. When the opportunity arose to take it, it was hard to say no. know what it means for the club and the fans. It's a nice feeling, an iconic number."
And Arsenal fans are hoping Nketiah can replicate half of what previous starters have produced wearing the famous shirt.
We've ranked all former Arsenal No.14 shirt wearers from worst to best.
4. Martin KeownThe number of teams wasn't much of a thing until the Premier League era and the 1993-94 season saw centre-back Keown do the honours.
The defender's second stint with the London side - Keown played for Aston Villa and Everton in the late 1980s and early 1990s - lasted over a decade and involved the title success of Premier League in 1998, 2002 and 2004.
The bulk of those games have come with the defender wearing 14 on his back too, including in the 1998 FA Cup final when Arsene Wenger's side scored a league double and in section.
Keown eventually usurped Steve Bould's No.5 shirt, perhaps a more fitting number for Arsenal's starting centre-back. And it was the No. 5 shirt Keown wore when he played Ruud van Nistelrooy's neckerchief in 2003.
3. Theo WalcottThe 2007-08 season was a breakthrough campaign for Walcott the first year he wore the No.14 shirt. Chance? You decide.
The former Southampton youngster scored his first Premier League goals for the Gunners and also played his part in Europe - that impression of Speedy Gonzalez against Liverpool will be long remembered.
He would wear the number for nearly a decade before leaving Arsenal for Everton in January 2018.
"I have Thierry's shirt number now but he's not getting it back, even if he comes back for a while," Walcott said shortly before Henry's brief return in 2012. I already told him."< /p>
Of course, Walcott never eclipsed his predecessor, but a number of important goals and 12 years of service was not a bad comeback from the winger.
READ: How the football gods conspired to rob Walcott of hero status at Arsenal
2. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang"I like two numbers, nine and seven," Aubameyang told Arsenal TV in 2020. "But [Alexandre Lacazette] has nine and Miki [Henrikh Mkhitaryan] has had seven.
"I asked Miki before I came, 'Will you take #7?' and he said yes, so I said, 'Okay, I'll try something else'.
The manner of Aubameyang's exit still stings for many, but he was the pride of the No.14 shirt for much of his time at the Emirates Stadium, scoring 92 goals and singlehandedly winning the final of the FA Cup 2020.
1. Thierry HenryArguably the greatest player in Arsenal's history, Henry has redesigned the No.14 shirt in his image, but it was not his original choice.
"I came back [on loan in 2012] with No.12, that's my number actually," Henry told former teammate Cesc Fabregas in 2020, as reported by Metro. “Fourteen is not my number. I took No.14 at Arsenal because Christopher Wreh had No.12, so I didn't want to take it away from him.
"That's why I didn't want to take it away from him. That's why when...
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