Manchester City Give De Bruyne's No. 17 Shirt to New Signing Instead of Retiring the Number

After Manchester City broke the British transfer record to sign former Chelsea player Enzo Fernandez, they gave Kevin De Bruyne's No. 17 shirt to him rather than choosing to retire the number, even temporarily.

Premier League fans had already been discussing this issue, and Manchester City's actions appear to have continued to provide support for that argument.

If a figure who was decisive in winning six English top-flight league titles is not enough to earn a statue, a temporarily retired shirt number, or a dedicated area at the training ground, then what would be enough?

Some angry Manchester City fans may believe that De Bruyne's legacy has not been damaged by this. Regardless of whether his shirt number is used by another player, he will always be respected.

But the key point is about principle: if you have won the PFA Player of the Year award twice, six Premier League titles, four assist leader awards, and have been a cornerstone of Manchester City's golden era, then this number belongs to you.