West Ham forward Javier Hernández has confirmed on the club website that he won't be using No. 14 because the number already belongs to teammate Pedro Obiang, but stressed that he would be happy with any number the club gives him.
Hernandez, 29, left Bayer Leverkusen to join West Ham in a £16 million deal two years after leaving Manchester United, and could make his Premier League debut for West Ham against Jose Mourinho's side at Old Trafford.
The Mexico international has used various numbers throughout his career, including No. 7, No. 11 and No. 25, and, while he prefers No. 14, he insists his performance isn't dependent on having it.
"It is important to me because it is my favourite number, but I already played with No. 7 at Leverkusen and that went well for me," Hernandez said on Monday.
On the West Ham club site, Hernandez appears without a defined number, while midfielder Sofiane Feghouli has already claimed the No. 7 shirt.
He continued: "I have always said that the player makes the number. And I am grateful that things went well for me while wearing No. 14 and that everyone knows me because of that number.
"I am grateful that wearing No. 14 isn't the reason I was a good player. Of course, I would love to have the number with me at all times, even to sleep, but if I can't it is no big deal, I'll have to see what number I can pick.
"I debuted with the number 45, then I used No. 25. And my first two goals with the [Mexico] national team were with No. 11. I will always have No. 14 in my head and in my heart, even if I don't wear that shirt."
Hernandez, who could get playing time as early as Tuesday, in the Hammers' friendly against Altona 93, said he plans to play hard.
"I don't like to be comfortable, I want to push my limits, even when there aren't any, but I want to push the envelope so I can improve as a human being as well as a football player," he said.
