Newcastle have plenty of space in the squad to fill in the summer transfer window
Anthony Gordon's Newcastle United No 10 shirt
Anthony Gordon's old Newcastle United No 10 shirt is now available
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If there is any doubt over the size of the task that lies ahead of Newcastle United in this summer's transfer window, then you need only look at the squad numbers for the coming season.
The Magpies are in the middle of a major overhaul of Eddie Howe's side, with financial restrictions meaning top stars Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali were sold to help fund further investment.
Three new faces have arrived in Ewen Jaouen, Bazoumana Toure and Sean Steur, but Newcastle know they need plenty more through the door to give Howe a competitive lline-up for the coming campaign.
There is no clearer indication of this than the fact United now have FOUR vacant shirts in the traditional 1-11 numbers as we approach the new season.
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While the days of the first-choice XI taking the lowers numbers are long gone - Bruno Guimaraes famously wears No 39 - it's not insignificant that so many key shirts remain empty.
Steur has taken No 14 after his arrival from Ajax, while keeper Jaouen was pictured with No 24 on his training kit, although officially he is yet to be assigned a number.
Toure will join up with the squad in a few weeks after playing for the Ivory Coast at the World Cup.
Gordon and Tonali's exits have left No 10 and No 8 free, while Kieran Trippier's No 2 is now available, along with No 6, which has been vacant since Jamaal Lascelles left for Leicester City last January.
Tino Livramento could eye the No 2 shirt this summer, while Toure may target No 10, having worn 29 while with Hoffenheim.
Malick Thiaw has a strong case to take No 6 if he wants it, being one of Howe's first-choice centre-backs, with the German currently No 12.
The No 1 shirt will be the focus of much speculation, with Newcastle targeting a new first-team goalkeeper. James Trafford remains their priority, but they have also been linked with Parma's Japanese shot-stop Zion Suzuki.
Either would expect to take the No 1, with Nick Pope likely to move on, with Ipswich Town keen on the former England man.
The gaps suggest Newcastle still have work to do when it comes to the first-team this summer, and hints at some interesting business to come.
Newcastle United squad numbers
1 Nick Pope
2 Vacant
3 Lewis Hall
4 Sven Botman
5 Fabian Schar
6 Vacant
7 Joelinton
8 Vacant
9 Yoane Wissa
10 Vacant
11 Harvey Barnes
12 Malick Thiaw
13 Vacant
14 Sean Steur
15, 16, 17 Vacant
18 William Osula
19 Vacant
20 Anthony Elanga
21 Tino Livramento
22 Vacant
23 Jacob Murphy
24-26 Vacant
27 Nick Woltemade
28 Joe Willock
29 Mark Gillespie
30-32 Vacant*
33 Dan Burn
37 Alex Murphy
39 Bruno Guimaraes
41 Jacob Ramsey
61 Leo Shahar
62 Sean Neave
64 Seung-soo Park
67 Lewis Miley
*All other numbers above 30 are vacant