Juan Cuadrado’s transfer from Fiorentina to Chelsea had been flagged in advance, and last weekend rumours began to circulate regarding which number he would wear.

For those of us who like our numbers traditional, those rumours were chilling, with reports that he had decided to don the number 74.

The winger’s favoured number is 11 – though he is more right- than left-sided – and with Didier Drogba wearing that, a choice had to be made. The reasoning for 74 was that the two digits added up to 11 (though 29 and 38 were also free), but now it seems that he will have 23 instead.

Presumably his sights are set on 11 when Drogba leaves again, which will surely be sooner rather than later.

Update, January 2015: Cuadrado did indeed take 11 when Drogba left, but, like Andre Schurrle and Kevin de Bruyne before him, the winger found that José Mourinho had decided at an early stage that he didn’t fancy him. He has spent the current season on with Juventus, for whom he wears 16.