Van Persie on being our new number 10

This season we have a new number 10, the squad number that's been vacated by defender William Gallas, and Robin van Persie is looking forward to wearing it.

For years, I always felt that it was odd having a defender wearing the number 10, and perhaps manager Arsène Wenger was over-complicating things when he decided to give it to Gallas, worried of immediate comparisons with Dennis Bergkamp if he had given it to a striker.

With Gallas leaving, the van Persie put in a request to have his squad number changed from 11 to 10, and how he deserves the number.

van Persie said: "I am looking forward to wearing the No 10, very much.

"I always played with the number 10 when I was younger but I never did since I turned professional so I am looking forward to it and for me it's a special number because Dennis Bergkamp had it for 11 years.

"I am very pleased to wear that number, it should be worn by a striker or a midfielder."

The squad numbers for this season looks a lot more sensible now, with a number 10 upfront, and 5 (Thomas Vermaelen) and 6 (Laurent Koscielny) at the heart of central defence.

Now, I only van Persie can stay injury-free for a whole season!

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