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Topics: Real Madrid, Jude Bellingham, La Liga, Football
Joe Adams
Plenty of players have shirt numbers specific to them, but Real Madrid defender Jesus Vallejo has had to change his twice this summer.
The 26-year-old centre-back's future remains up in the air after making just one appearance for Los Blancos last season.
However, the Spaniard's current job has nothing to do with football, and instead involves accommodating new arrivals at the Bernabeu.
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He originally had to give up his No. 5 shirt for Jude Bellingham, who joined Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund in a deal worth £113 million last month.
Vallejo has since been handed the No. 24 shirt, but in a hilarious turn of events, he could be stripped of that, too.
On Thursday, Real Madrid confirmed the signing of Arda Guler from Turkish giants Fenerbahce, with the Spanish giants beating Barcelona to the 18-year-old's signature.
Guler, dubbed the 'Turkish Lionel Messi', has signed a deal with the club for the next six seasons and could be seen wiping away his mum's tears during his unveiling.
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However, Madrid are currently short of numbers, with the No. 9 and No. 25 the only available numbers left to choose from ahead of his official presentation on Saturday.
According to news outlet AS, the club considered the possibility of presenting Guler without a squad number so that he could pick up Alvaro Odriozola’s No. 16 shirt, with the 27-year-old having already agreed to leave this summer.
But with Odriozola still looking for a new club, that would seem an impractical solution.
A short browse through Real Madrid's website, though, and it would seem Vallejo has once again been used as a quick fix.
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Vallejo now appears on the club's website assigned to the No. 25 shirt, leaving his former No.24 shirt free for Guler, who will have his new teammate to thank.
After being given the iconic No. 5 shirt, previously warn by Zinedine Zidane, Bellingham mentioned Vallejo in his speech.
“For a start I'd like to thank Jesus Vallejo for letting me wear the number five.
“I had some contact with him just to see if it was OK and he was a brilliant guy in letting me where it, just being so nice about it, so I'm very grateful.”