Marcus Rashford's New Tattoos and Club Kit Changes

Marcus Rashford has found more space on his skin.

The Manchester United forward has added two fresh shirt numbers to his expanding tattoo gallery, with 14 and 9 now inked alongside the familiar 39, 19 and 10. Manchester-based artist Dale McGovern revealed the latest work, each number tied tightly to a chapter of Rashford’s career.

The 14 nods to Barcelona. That first move abroad. A different league, a different rhythm, and a season that ended with La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup in his pocket. It was a short spell but a significant one, and the number has now been given permanent status on his body.

Then there is 9. The classic centre-forward’s badge. Rashford wore it at Aston Villa, then brought it back with him to Old Trafford, where it became the fourth different shirt number of his United career. For a player whose journey has twisted through positions, roles and expectations, the ink tells the story as clearly as any highlight reel.

Across the game, other stories this week have been written not in ink on skin, but in thread, fabric and crest.

New colours, old ambitions

In Indonesia, Persik Kediri have stepped into a new era with Adidas. The German giant replaces DRX Wear as technical supplier, and the first offering for the 26-27 season is a home kit that leans on simplicity rather than noise.

Deep purple dominates the shirt, the club’s traditional hue left to breathe without heavy patterning. The famous Three Stripes appear in white, but not in their usual place; they run vertically down the sides of the torso instead of the shoulders, giving the kit a lean, streamlined look. A round crew collar, perforated sleeves, and a white Adidas logo sit neatly around a crest topped by two golden stars. Across the chest, AFG (#AthletesForGood) takes the main sponsor slot.

Purple shorts. Purple socks. A clean, unified strip for a club eager to make a statement in the Super League without shouting for attention.

In Vietnam, the change is smaller in size but big in symbolism. V.League 2 has unveiled new rhombus-shaped sleeve badges, inspired by the bright, layered flags seen at traditional festivals. The design feeds directly into VPF’s refreshed visual identity for the country’s professional leagues.

It arrives in a season of uncertainty. For the first time in 24 years, V.League 2 starts without a title sponsor after the Gold Star Beer deal expired and no replacement emerged. Yet the new badges, modern and sharply drawn, have been warmly received by fans, a visual upgrade at a time when the competition’s commercial future remains open.

Arsenal lock in their numbers

In north London, the numbers are fixed in a different way.

With the summer window closed, Arsenal’s 26-27 men’s squad list is set. Kit specialist and collector @ArsenalShirt has laid out the full spread of names and numbers on the home and goalkeeper jerseys as the champions prepare to defend their Premier League crown.

There is a fresh sheen to some of the most iconic shirts. Viktor Gyökeres takes on the weighty number 14, a jersey steeped in club mythology. Eberechi Eze steps into number 10, the playmaker’s canvas. Bruno Guimarães keeps his trusted 39, this time in red and white.

At the back, Cristhian Mosquera wears 3, Piero Hincapié 5, and Ezri Konsa 15, bolstering a defensive unit expected to carry the demands of a title defence and a European run. Christos Tzolis and Noni Madueke pick up 17 and 20, while Martin Zubimendi slots in with 36.

In goal, there is continuity and competition. David Raya stays with 1. Kepa Arrizabalaga comes in at 13. Illan Meslier takes 30, giving Arsenal a deep, varied goalkeeping department.

The core remains untouched. Bukayo Saka keeps 7. Captain Martin Ødegaard stays at 8. Declan Rice continues with 41. One shirt, though, stays on the hanger: number 9, unclaimed after summer departures, a gap that will be watched closely when the next window opens.

Two academy prospects, Myles Lewis-Skelly (49) and Max Dowman (56), are now officially listed with the senior squad, the next wave nudging at the door.

Sponsors, stars and local pride

In Turkey, Galatasaray have opted for continuity rather than change. The club has reached an agreement to extend its shirt sponsorship with furniture brand Alfemo for the 26-27 Süper Lig season. Operating under the Zeren Group, Alfemo will again occupy the side panel and underarm areas on the domestic match shirts.

The relationship began midway through the 25-26 campaign after a deal signed in February 2026. Talks over the summer weighed up alternatives, but both sides have chosen to stay together, with an official club announcement due shortly. Stability in an area where many clubs chop and change year after year.

On the other side of the world, Auckland FC are leaning into their landscape. The defending A-League champions and New Balance have unveiled a 26-27 away kit built around the misty contours of the Waitākere Ranges.

The away shirt is predominantly white, edged with blue piping along the seams. Across the front, vertical trails of tiny blue raindrops fall and merge towards the hem, gradually revealing a silhouette of hazy mountaintops. It is subtle from distance, striking up close. The goalkeeper jersey flips the palette: navy base, white graphics, the same visual story told in reverse.

Both shirts carry a round collar and a gold A-League badge on the chest, a reminder of their champion status. Inside the collar, the club motto sits like a quiet challenge: “Always Advance. Never Retreat.” The launch imagery, shot on the rugged black sands of Muriwai Beach, underlines the club’s attempt to carry a piece of Auckland with them every time they leave home.

Tradition, reworked

USM Alger have gone for sharp, modern lines with Macron for 26-27, extending a partnership that has delivered a consistent, tailored look in recent seasons.

The home kit is drenched in red, with subtle tonal textures woven into the fabric to give depth without distraction. Black trims the collar and sleeve cuffs, each edged with thin red piping. The crest sits on the chest, crowned by three stars, flanked by black Macron Hero logos on the right side and shoulders. Groupe Serport and realme branding run across the centre, clean and controlled.

The away kit flips the script. A white base is cut by thin red and black pinstripes running vertically down the front. The rounded collar and cuffs echo the home design, blending black and red, while solid black logos keep the whole set tight and cohesive.

In Spain, FC Cartagena have finally been able to step into their true colours. After weeks of manufacturing and administrative delays that forced them into a generic grey catalog kit during pre-season, the club and Macron have unveiled the official 26-27 home shirt.

“La Albinegra” lives up to its name. Black and white vertical stripes remain the foundation, but this year they are slimmer and more numerous, giving the shirt a busier, more energetic feel. A subtle dot pattern runs through the black stripes, adding texture. Magenta-pink accents flash on the crewneck collar, sleeve cuffs and Macron branding, a bold jolt against the monochrome base.

Local telecoms company Telecartagena appears as the primary shirt sponsor for the first time, with Inmohogares taking the sleeve. Black shorts and socks complete a kit that finally matches the club’s identity after a frustrating wait.

A century stitched into fabric

In Zimbabwe, Highlanders FC have taken the long view.

The Bulawayo giants, founded in 1926, are marking 100 years with a centenary collection from Looks Sportswear for the 26-27 season. The “Bosso @100” range is more than a set of match shirts; it is a stitched timeline of a club that has carried a city’s footballing heartbeat for a century.

The home kit keeps the famous black and white vertical stripes, but slices them with jagged geometric breaks across the upper chest and lower hem. It is traditional and disruptive at once, framed by a black V-neck collar and black sleeve cuffs.

Alongside it, an all-black alternate shirt brings a different kind of elegance. A white polo collar and cuff trim give it a classic, almost retro feel. The third option is a clean white jersey, broken by bold red side panels and shoulder stripes that fade in a fiery gradient.

Each shirt carries a dedicated centenary crest placed centrally on the chest, between the Looks logo and the traditional Highlanders shield. Energy company Sakunda holds the main sponsor position on all three, its name running across designs that will be worn in a season loaded with emotion.

From Rashford’s new tattoos to centenary crests and vacant number 9 shirts, the game keeps finding fresh ways to mark time. The question, as always, is which of these numbers and designs will still be talked about when another decade has passed.