While awaiting the departure of two stars: Somerville wears an unusual number with Al-Hilal | Goal.com

Published on 24 Jul 2026 | Reading time: 1 minute

Crysencio Summerville has officially joined Al-Hilal, and the Dutch winger will pull on a shirt with an unusual number.

Al-Hilal announced the signing today, Friday, with Summerville arriving from West Ham United on a four-year contract that runs until 2030.

The Dutchman will wear the number 38 next season, according to Al-Hilal's online store, a shirt he hasn't worn in around four full years.

Numbers above 30 usually go to players promoted from the youth ranks to the first team, which makes Summerville's choice a curious one.

He wore the number 38 shirt only once before, at Leeds United. That came at the end of the 2020-2021 season while he was in the under-23 side, and again the following campaign after his promotion to the first team.

By the start of the 2022-2023 season, Summerville had switched to the number 10 at Leeds, before moving to West Ham and taking the number 7 over the past two seasons.

Neither of those shirts was available to the 24-year-old at Al-Hilal. Brazilian winger Malcom wears the number 10, while Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez has the number 7.

Summerville could yet return to one of them. Reports suggest Al-Hilal are keen to move both players on, and the departure of either would free up his preferred number.

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