Serie A updates: Milan without a no.9 after Jovic departure

Luka Jovic Participates In The Italian Championship Serie A Football Match Between Ac Milan

Following Luka Jovic’s departure from San Siro at the end of his contract earlier this summer, Milan have been left without a no.9 in their squad for the first time in over 100 years.

Much was made of Milan’s hunt for a new centre-forward over the course of the summer transfer window.

The Rossoneri had long been linked with a move for Juventus’s Dusan Vlahovic among numerous other candidates, but ultimately stuck with Santiago Gimenez, while also securing a deal for Christopher Nkunku from Chelsea on deadline day.

Massimiliano Allegri has also deployed Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic at centre-forward in either a 3-5-2 or 3-4-1-2 in his first few competitive matches in charge.

Of the options that Milan currently have at centre-forward, though, none of them will bear the no.9 shirt this season.

As per La Gazzetta dello Sport, this is the first season that Milan will not have a recognised no.9 in their squad for the first time in over 100 years.

Traditionally, shirt numbers were assigned from 1-11, which meant that Milan always had a no.9 in the starting line-up until the introduction of personalised squad numbers in the mid-1990s. Squad numbers came into effect in Serie A for the 1995/96 season. Since then, the Rossoneri have always had a no.9 in their squad. Between 1995 and the year 2000, the Milan no.9 shirt was worn by both George Weah and Patrick Kluivert.

Gianni Comandini had it for the 2000-01 season. Pippo Inzaghi then wore the no.9 from 2001 until his retirement in 2012.

Since then, it has been worn by Alexandre Pato, Mattia Destro, Luiz Adriano, Gianluca Lapadula, Andre Silva, Krzysztof Piątek, Mario Mandzukic, Olivier Giroud and most recently Jovic.

Of Milan’s options at centre-forward for 2025-26, Santiago Gimenez will wear the no.7, Rafael Leao the no.10, Christian Pulisic the no.11 and Christopher Nkunku the no.18.