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Robin van Persie has requested to change his Arsenal squad number for the 2010/11 season, swapping the number 11 for the number 10 shirt.
According to a source at the club, Van Persie has put in the request after defender William Gallas was released upon the expiry of his contract.
Gallas, a central defender, wore the number 10 shirt for four seasons after moving from Chelsea to the Emirates Stadium in 2006.
If the speculation is true, and manager Arsene Wenger grants Van Persie's request, it would represent a major change of tack from the Dutch striker.
He had previously been dissuaded from inheriting the number 10 for fear of causing undue comparisons with Gunners legend and fellow Netherlands international striker Dennis Bergkamp.
Bergkamp, who was inducted into English football's Hall of Fame in 2007, wore the number 10 for Arsenal over the course of a remarkable 11-year stay in north London.
Upon his retirement in 2006 - shortly before Gallas' arrival - Wenger admitted to being in a quandry over what to do with the famous number.
Just after the arrival of the French international, who was notoriously unhappy at being forced to play left-back for Chelsea, Wenger explained: "Number three was uncomfortable for [Gallas] and I had given the rest of the numbers out.
"In the end I thought it might be a good idea to give the number 10 to a defender, because a striker would suffer a lot with the comparison with Dennis.
"At first I was reluctant to give Dennis's number out, and especially to a defender, but overall I think it's better that way."
It is thought Van Persie's number 11 shirt could be handed to new signing Marouane Chamakh.
www.metro.co.uk
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