Top 10 most popular player jerseys bought by fans in the United Kingdom 

UK-based sporting merchandise company - Sports Direct, is notably one of the biggest producers of player jerseys. They cater to a variety of sports and have a massive customer base.

However, one of their most prominent revenue generators is their football players jersey sales, as football thrives in the UK and in neighbouring countries across Europe.

Unsurprisingly, fans invest heavily in jerseys emblazoned with names of their club heroes, as they keep returning season after season to purchase their club's newest outfits.

Sports Direct recently released a list of the most profitable player shirts, having monitored the shirt sales since the beginning of May. While a number of expected players make the cut, some unexpected ones do so too.

While 4 Manchester United players made it to the top 10, their rivals Manchester City registered none. North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham registered 1 entry apiece, with Alexandre Lacazette and Harry Kane finding spots on the list.

Philippe Coutinho turned out to Liverpool's saving grace while Eden Hazard saved Chelsea a bunch of blushes.

Only one player makes the list despite not playing in England. Stunningly, Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't even make the cut.

Here's a quick look at the 10 most coveted players, whose shirts were sold the most in the United Kingdom:

#10 Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Manchester United): The 'Super Swede' only needed a majority of one season to become a fan favourite. Having conquered some of the best leagues in the world, his arrival at Manchester United ensured a staggering boost in shirt sales, paving his way to the 10th spot on the list

#9 Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool): Despite evolving into every Liverpool fan's gravest concern, Philippe Coutinho, it seems, is still held very dear by the Merseyside club's devout fans. Resigned to remain in the English Premier League, the Brazilian's name has continued to find itself on hordes of jerseys.

#8 Lionel Messi (Barcelona): Did you not expect to see the wizard here? Really? Lionel Messi will probably continue selling jerseys bearing his name decades after he retires. The greatest player of all-time has thousands of fans across the world. The guy doesn't even play in England and he still sells the 8th most number of shirts. Unreal!

Messi doesn't even need to play in England to conquer it

#7 Sadio Mane (Liverpool): Touted to be one of the most effective workhorses around, Sadio Mane has taken the world by storm after moving to Liverpool. The winger has clearly stormed his way into the hearts of fans and finds himself sitting pretty at 7th.

#6 Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur): Who wouldn't want to wear his name? You don't have to be a Tottenham fan to acknowledge how insanely talented Kane is. The striker scores goals whenever he's bored and nonchalantly dominates games. While many consider Tottenham to be the underdogs of a 6-horse race, Harry Kane beats the best of the best when it comes to shirt sales, just like he does when it comes to scoring goals.

#5 Marcus Rashford (Manchester United): Manchester United's prodigal son - Marcus Rashford, has risen not just through the ranks of the club's youth academy, but also in terms of popularity. The 19-year old is the youngest player on the list and is doted on by the Red Devils' ginormous fan base.

#4 Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal): He just arrived, remember? That doesn't seem to have stopped Lacazette from hoarding love and affection from his fans. After establishing himself as a lethal striker, his move to Arsenal only multiplies his following tenfold, finding him at 4th place. Quite characteristic for an Arsenal player, eh?

New boy Lacazette has impressed from the get-go

#3 Eden Hazard (Chelsea): By far one of the most talented players in the English Premier League, Eden Hazard has been heaped with praise by fans and pundits, alike. Consistent domination in England has cemented him at 3rd on Sports Direct's list of most shirt selling players.

#2 Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United): Throngs of Chelsea fans were set to hit the stores in the hunt for a new Lukaku jersey. The summer transfer window, though, rendered that a useless activity. When Romelu Lukaku signed for Manchester United, there was little surprise that their jerseys with his name would sell like hot cakes.

The fans seem to love Romelu in red

#1 Paul Pogba (Manchester United): The former world-record holder for 'most expensive player' sure seems to be pumping in quite a lot of revenue. Numbers since May indicate that no player has been in as much demand as Paul Pogba, crowning him at the top of the list. #Pogsales?