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'Whats he ringing up John Terry for?' Kalidou Koulibaly's Chelsea shirt number gesture questioned

Carlton Palmer has queried the need for Kalidou Koulibaly to ask club legend John Terry for his Chelsea shirt number.

The Blues' new signing moved to Stamford Bridge earlier this summer in a £33million deal.

The 31-year-old established himself as a top defender during his time at Napoli where he wore the number 26 jersey, a shirt that is famously linked to Terry.

No player has worn the shirt since Terry's exit in 2017, and after a nice gesture of ringing the former defender, Terry was more than happy to approve of Koulibaly taking the shirt.

In a clip shared by Koulibaly, Terry could be heard saying: “The 26 was very special to me, I really appreciate you calling.

“It’s no problem for me for you to take it, absolute pleasure.

“I wish you well because I know how important the number was for me and I’ve seen you wear 26 as well. My pleasure mate, I give you the 26.

“No pressure. You go and keeping winning trophies for us.”

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Despite Koulibaly's gesture of ringing the Chelsea legend, Carlton Palmer is of the belief that it was unnecessary.

Speaking to Kick Off on talkSPORT, Palmer said: “What’s he ringing up John Terry for?

“He’s a legend of the game and that’s a fact. John Terry is steeped in his history and always will be.

"He was an outstanding captain and a lot of other things, but I’ve never known a player ringing up an ex-player for his number. A number that hasn’t been retired.

“Some people might see it as a mark of respect, I don’t really see it, to be honest."

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Update: 2024-05-22