When striker Luis Diaz elected to “upgrade” his shirt from number 23 to number 7, taking over the number of the previous teammate James Milner, Liverpool have a new number 7, but it is not a new contract for the Anfield team.

Luis Diaz opted to change his shirt number ahead of the new season, as Liverpool confirmed details to fans who bought the Colombian’s No 23 shirt.

Since Diaz arrived from Porto in early 2022, the Colombia international has kept the number 23 shirt worn by former players such as Jamie Carragher and Xherdan Shaqiri. But with the departures of James Milner, Naby Keita and Roberto Firmino this summer, a series of iconic numbers have opened up.

Liverpool have now announced Diaz will wear the number 7 shirt from next season, the number he also wears for the national team while playing internationally. Luis Diaz also previously wore the number 7 shirt in Porto.

Prior to Milner, players like Harry Kewell, Steve McManaman, and Luis Suarez also wore the number 7 throughout the Premier League era. But Kenny Dalglish, who replaced Kevin Keegan as Liverpool’s number 7 jersey for ten wildly successful seasons in the 1970s and 1980s, holds the title of most well-known individual to ever don the number 7.

After the new Liverpool 2023–24 home jersey was revealed, Diaz decided to switch shirts. The winger will give individuals who bought his number 23 shirt a personal refund.

The current number 8 and number 9 jerseys are still available this summer following the departures of Keita and Firrmino. At the moment there is some speculation about whether Darwin Nunez will take on the number 9.