Karimi to wear number 8 jersey at Bayern Munich

Ali Karimi will wear the number 8 jersey at Bayern Munich as the Bundesliga champs are to open their new season on July 1, the club announced Wednesday on its official Internet site.

The last player to get number 8 was former Bayern defensive midfielder Norbert Frings who left earlier this month to Werder Bremen after only one season.

Karimi is the third Iranian player to play in Bayern after Ali Daei and Vahid Hashemian.

Asia's Player of the Year joins the Bundesliga club on a free transfer from the United Arab Emirates club Al-Ahli.