Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew admits making a decision over their new No9 is a dilemma.
The shirt remains vacant after Andy Carroll's record move to Liverpool last January.
Pardew said: "The number nine shirt is equally important. I will leave the number nine as late as I can.
"I know just what that shirt means to this football club, but there will be a few contenders who could wear that shirt and do it justice.
"It is an important shirt and I might think of giving it to a player who doesn't get weighed down by it. I will have to assess the characters of the players to make sure that doesn't happen."
