Ever since his first season at the club, the Ecuadorian has become a fan favourite for a majority of reasons, with his direct and incessant runs at defenders, his powerful physical attributes added to immense pace and his humble, quiet nature off the field.
In the grand scheme of things, allocated squad numbers are a fairly recent phenomena as they were only introduced in 1993, meaning many players wore several different numbers before then. Valencia seems like an exact contrast to the more high-profile players to wear the number on their back, with the 26-year-old not one associated with the limelight like some of his predecessors.
The choice to give the former Wigan man the No.7 jersey will almost certainly be a popular decision due to the fans’ adoration for him, while it may also be seen as a breath of fresh air given the rather glamorous history.
World renowned superstars and those dubbed Sir Alex Ferguson’s worst-ever signing have worn the famous No. 7 shirt for United
