Swansea new boys Renato Sanches and returning Wilfried Bony pick shock shirt numbers with loan star taking 35 and striker taking 2
Bayern Munich midfielder wanted No 85 but the Premier League blocked the move while Wilfried Bony was allowed the No 2
RENATO SANCHES had a rough Premier League welcome after the division bosses blocked the Swansea new boy from wearing his favourite No 85.
Swans boss Paul Clement pulled off a coup by landing the Portugal international on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich.
The British boss worked with Bayern boss Carlo Ancelotti in Bavaria as well as Real Madrid and tapped him up for a tasty short-term deal.
The Euro 2016 winner wanted to don the same number he wore at boyhood club Benfica where he caught the world’s attention.
But the Premier League put their foot down and insisted that "squad numbers must be consecutive and close to the current highest number."
Manchester City have the highest first-team squad number on record with Jose Pose Angel Pozo wearing No78 in 2014.
But the mega-money at the Etihad means they have a huge squad and high numbers whereas Swansea have a much smaller group meaning the teenager has had to take the 35.
Clement also added Wilfried Bony from Manchester City and he will play ahead of Sanches in the Swans attack after Fernando Llorente left for Spurs.
In another bizarre kit selection, returning Bony has snapped up the No 2 shirt – most commonly worn by the right-back - to mark his second stint.
Bony said: “I need to be on the pitch playing, so when I heard Swansea wanted me back I was very excited.
“I don’t have a target to achieve, I just want to take it match by match.
"I want the best for the team first, and then you will see the rest.
“It’s a special number for me.
"It’s the second time I am at the club, hence I wanted to wear number two, and I want to achieve more for the team.”