Jaka Bijol’s move to Leeds United is deemed as imminent after the defender underwent a medical at Thorp Arch on Wednesday, with the final details now being ironed out.
The 26-year-old defender is in Yorkshire to finalise a £18.75m move after flying in earlier this week. He will become the club’s second summer signing after the pre-contract addition of Lukas Nmecha on a free.
Leeds have pulled off a coup to land Bijol. Newcastle have shown interest in signing Bijol, as have some Italian clubs but Adam Underwood and Leeds have managed to land the 63-time Slovenia international.
It is expected that Bijol’s arrival will be announced before the end of the working week, but what shirt number will the defender be wearing come the start of the Premier League campaign? Here is our guess.
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Jaka Bijol’s club numbers taken by Joe Rodon and Willy Gnonto
Whether it be at boyhood club Rudar Velenje, CSKA Moscow or Udinese, Bijol has always worn the no.29 shirt. Of course, that is currently taken by Willy Gnonto at Leeds, who has worn 29 since joining in 2022.
The only other shirt number that 6ft 4in giant Bijol has worn at club level is the no.6 shirt, which he wore during a loan spell at German club Hannover. Joe Rodon currently wears no.6, who is set to partner Bijol.
What about his Slovenia numbers? Well, Bijol often wears Rodon’s no.6 for Slovenia. But he has worn a string of different numbers during his early years in the Slovenia team, like seven, nine, 16, 18, 19, and 21.
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The Slovenia shirt number that Jaka Bijol may take at Leeds
Aside from the no.6 shirt, the only other numbers he has worn more than twice at no.5 – currently under the ownership of Pascal Struijk – and 15. The latter is free at the moment, not worn since 2021-22.
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The reason it has not been worn since 2021-22, and April 2022 in particular, is because Stuart Dallas has worn the no.15 shirt. Leeds legend Dallas of course, retired at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.
Last season, it went unworn. Given no.5, 6 and 29 are currently taken, this is the number that Bijol has worn more than once for either club or country. It might be then, that Bijol takes Dallas’ no.15.