Mason Mount has already given Alejandro Garnacho a Manchester United challenge

Alejandro Garnacho paraded a cake in the shape of a football shirt with the No.7 emblazoned on the back of it to celebrate a social media milestone last month. It's the closest he'll come to wearing the number for at least another year.

United had considered the 18-year-old a candidate to don the club's most iconic shirt number next season, and even last week supporters were unable to purchase a new home shirt with 'Garnacho 49' printed on it ahead of an expected change.

Instead, it is summer signing Mason Mount who must deal with the pressure of occupying the number that Cristiano Ronaldo vacated in November.

Mount revealed how talks with Erik ten Hag persuaded him that a move to United was the right next step to take in his career, the fact he had been offered the No.7 shirt certainly sweetened the deal and proved just how much his new manager wanted him.

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The 24-year-old isn't here to make up the numbers though. It is clear he has a key role to play next season, and while he will need to work hard to justify a regular starting role, it certainly seems the plan is for him to be playing most weeks.

Garnacho's hopes of donning his dream squad number might be dashed for now, but rather than feel sorry for himself, this should serve as the extra motivation he needs to prove he is worthy of wearing it one day.

For many supporters, he seemed the most obvious choice to take it this summer. Like previous greats to wear the shirt, he is an unpredictable maverick on the pitch, capable of changing matches in the blink of an eye and