Everton confirm 2018-19 official squad numbers

Everton have announced the official squad number list for the upcoming season a week before the Blues first Premier League game of the 2018-19 season at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

There are a total of five shirt number changes for players still in the squad: Mason Holgate switches to #2, Kevin Mirallas takes #8, Gylfi Sigurdsson switches to #10, Morgan Schneiderlin has #18 and Beni Baningime will now wear #34.

Everton Squad Numbers for 2018-19
1. Jordan Pickford
2. Mason Holgate
3. Leighton Baines
4. Michael Keane
6. Phil Jagielka
7. Yannick Bolasie
9. Sandro Ramirez
10. Gylfi Sigurdsson
11. Theo Walcott
12. Lucas Digne
14. Cenk Tosun
15. Cuco Martina
16. James McCarthy
17. Idrissa Gana Gueye
18. Morgan Schneiderlin
19. Oumar Niasse
21. Muhamed Besic
22. Maarten Stekelenburg
23. Seamus Coleman
26. Tom Davies
27. Nikola Vlasic
28. Kieran Dowell
29. Dominic Calvert-Lewin
30. Richarlison
31. Ademola Lookman
32. Joe Williams
33. Callum Connolly
34. Beni Baningime
38. Matthew Pennington
41. Mateusz Hewelt
43. Jonjoe Kenny
49. Antonee Robinson

Here are some quick thoughts on the announcement -

• Walcott keeps the #11, which means Mirallas gets a new number and he’s taken Ross Barkley’s #8. Ashley Williams is gone and Super Kev likely also gone in a couple of days, so two key starters’ numbers will be available for incoming transfers - #5 & #8. If the Blues end up sending Yannick Bolasie on loan then #7 could be available too.
• Newcomers Richarlison and Digne get #30 and #12 respectively, which they’ll keep for the season.
• Martina and Vlasic are also on the list, despite being asked to train separately with a view to their being moved.
• It’s looking more and more likely that Everton will go into the season with Mateusz Hewelt as the third goalie. He keeps his #41 shirt.
• Marco Silva had said that he’d like to have 22 outfield players, 3 goalkeepers and 2-3 youngsters. Right now the Blues have six five in the squad - Dowell, Williams, Connolly, Baningime, Pennington & Robinson - will they all stay?
• The Everton online shop seems quite unprepared for this announcement with multiple players not on their customization list.
• There’s 33 32 players on this list. For Everton to only keep 28 for the season, another five four players need to be transferred or loaned out, and that is not accounting for any incoming players either.

It’s promising to be a busy week ahead.

NOTE: Since this article was first published at 1pm on Friday 3rd August, Antonee Robinson has been sent on loan to Wigan. The struckthrough text represents current information at that time.