Lokomotiv Moscow of Russia new summer signing, Faustino Anjorin has been granted jersey number 10 at the Russian Premier League club, though he is only on a season-long loan deal from Chelsea of England.
Megasportsarena.com reports that, in what appears to be a shock change from the routine of handing players on loan huge shirt numbers, Anjorin will don the iconic number 10 all through the new campaign.
This comes as a step by the Russian railway-owned club to woo Anjorin, ahead of a possible extension of his loan deal into a full contract at the end of the season.
All expectations are on the Nigerian-born lad from Chelsea to excel during his temporary deal in Moscow, such that the former club of Victor Obinna Nsofor and Ezekiel Henry (Henty) are already thinking of keeping him beyond this term.
With that in view, The Railwaymen quickly presented Anjorin with the number that was last season held by Dmitri Loshnov, as the highly-promising midfielder was unveiled alongside another new signings by the Muscovites.
Alongside Gyrano Kerk, who was acquired on a permanent basis from FC Utrecht of Netherlands, Anjorin will spend the remainder of the campaign on loan at Lokomotiv, with an option for the club to buy him outright included in the deal.
The Nigerian-born England youth international, who has a valid contract running with Chelsea until June 30, 2025, got straight down to business with his new teammates, as he worked out in the gym on Saturday ahead of their friendly against local rivals, CSKA Moscow.
Sunday’s game will, therefore, be a baptism of fire for Anjorin, who has five appearances for The Blues’ first team, one of which was against Krasnodar of Russia in last season’s UEFA Champions League and he was in action for 80 minutes.
