Arsenal have confirmed Mesut Ozil will wear the No 10 shirt next season, following the departure of Jack Wilshere. Ozil has worn No 11 since joining the club in 2013 from Real Madrid and will now wear the same jersey he wore while playing for Germany at the 2018 World Cup.
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Robin van Persie and Dennis Bergkamp are among the other Arsenal stars to have worn the No 10 in the modern era. But it is a French football icon that Ozil had in mind when opting for a new number.
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‘It has never been a secret how special this number is to me,’ Ozil told Arsenal’s website. ‘My childhood idol Zinedine Zidane wore this number and it is still the most characteristic one for the playmaker position. ‘I’m looking forward to putting it on for the first time at Arsenal after the summer break!’ he concluded.
? – It’s more than just a number. Means a lot to me wearing it next season! Thanks, @arsenal ??〽 #YaGunnersYa #M1Ö pic.twitter.com/M7ZTtMdirb
— Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil1088) July 3, 2018
Arsenal confirmed fans who bought No 11 Ozil shirts for the 2018-19 campaign will be given replacements.