Certain squad numbers in football have always carried an element of mystique, the weight of history and the icons that donned them resting heavy on the shoulders of current stars.
Few, however, hold as much meaning as Manchester United's No.7, an iconic squad number at one of the world's most famous and historic clubs. A shirt handed down the generations by some of the greatest ever players to walk out at Old Trafford.
George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo intersperse the lineage of United No.7s over the last 40-odd years, with the latter claiming it over two spells. However, the latter's forced departure in November, following an explosive interview, has left it vacant.
It has not always been plain sailing for the chosen few, with many of those selected after Ronaldo's first exit in 2009 unable to play freely with the weight bearing down on them. Michael Owen, Antonio Valencia, Angel Di Maria, Memphis Depay, Alexis Sanchez, Edinson Cavani - a list that couldn't be further away from the legends beforehand.
ALSO READ: United considering making Alejandro Garnacho their new number seven
It takes a special kind of player to thrive under the pressure of United's No.7 shirt, someone with supreme self-confidence and the ability to get fans out of their seats. It is perhaps why the club are considering handing it to Alejandro Garnacho despite making his first-team debut just 14 months ago.
Even at just 18 - he would be the first teenage recipient of the shirt since Ronaldo in 2003 - few within the squad would provide a more natural fit for such an iconic number. Garnacho has set the Reds alight since stepping onto the pitch against Chelsea in April last year, establishing himself as one
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