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Sport

23rd Nov 2017

Eric Cantona reveals who he’d like to wear the #7 shirt at Manchester United

A surprise name

Simon Lloyd

The King has spoken.

Who gets to wear Manchester United’s number seven shirt is a big deal to many of the club’s supporters. Some of the finest players to have ever turned out for the club have done so with the number on their backs: Best, Robson, Beckham, Ronaldo, Owen

Eric Cantona is, of course, another United great to be associated with the shirt.

Now, with the number seven still vacant since the departure of Memphis Depay last winter, the Frenchman has suggested who he’d like to see inherit it.

Speaking to Full Time Devils, Cantona indicated that Paris Saint-Germain’s Javier Pastore would – in his eyes – be a good fit.

“I love Pastore who plays for Paris [Saint-Germain] but he doesn’t play,” he explained. “They have two great players – Pastore and [Hatem] Ben Arfa – and none of them play.”

This isn’t the first time Cantona has spoken of his admiration for the Argentine. Two years ago, he went as far as describing him as the best player in the world.

Asked if Antoine Griezmann, a player who almost joined United in the summer, might be a good candidate to be the club’s next number seven, Cantona again returned to Pastore.

“Yes, why not? But Pastore is very special he surprises you every time he touches the ball, he will surprise you and give the ball to someone that no one saw.

“He surprises all the fans. I think he’s a great player. He plays for Argentina, which is a big country, but he doesn’t play for Paris which is a small club.”