What number will Alejandro Bedoya wear?

When Alejandro Bedoya eventually takes the pitch for the Philadelphia Union, he’ll need a shirt number. While with Nantes Bedoya wore 7, however that’s Brian Carroll’s number. With the United States he wears 11, however that’s Fabian Herbers’ number. With Rangers and Helsingborgs, he wore 20 which is Walter Restrepo’s number. And while it may be customary in most sports for the incoming player to buy his number from a player, he may not be able to do that with MLS’ merchandise already stocked. So what’s left?

Not much. He could always take Vincent Nogueira’s old number 5, since Noguiera obviously isn’t using it right now. Shavar Thomas had the number during his brief stint with the Union in 2010. Carlos Valdes used 5 during his first season in 2011, before relinquishing it to Greg Jordan for the number 2 in 2012. The number was vacant during the 2013 season, and Nogueira got it in 2014.

With the departure last night of Sebastien Le Toux, the number nine has opened up as well. Seba held the 9 shirt in 2010 until being traded prior to the start of the 2012 season. Jack McInerney wore the shirt from 2012 until being traded in 2014 for Andrew Wenger, who picked up the 9 and wore it until 2015, when Wenger took the 11 shirt and Le Toux reclaimed it. That being said, it's most likely that Charlie Davies will go with the 9 shirt, since that's what he's worn for most of his career.

18 is open, however that’s usually associated with goalkeepers. Former 18’s for the Union have been Brad Knighton in 2010 and Zac MacMath from 2011 through 2014, and the only non-goalkeeper to wear the 18 – Bedoya’s former Nantes teammate Fernando Aristeguieta in 2015.

The only other open number is 26, which was first worn in 2010 by Cristian Arrieta. It was also worn in 2011 by Morgan Langley and from 2012 through 2014 by Keon Daniel.

So what do you think Bedoya’s number will be? Do you think he’ll take something and look to switch next season? Take our poll and let us know in the comments section below!