(Reuters) - Arsenal fans who purchased 2018-19 replica jerseys with Mesut Ozil's name and squad number will be given free replacements after the midfielder switched to the number 10 shirt made available by the departure of Jack Wilshere.
Ozil has worn number 11 since joining the London club in 2013 but wasted little time in pouncing on what he described as a "special number" after midfielder Wilshere's contract was not renewed after the end of last season.
"My childhood idol Zinedine Zidane wore this number and it's still the most characteristic one for the playmaker position," Ozil told the club's website https://www.arsenal.com/news/ozil-our-no-10. "I'm looking forward to putting it on for the first time at Arsenal after the summer break."
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)