On this day: William Gallas signs for Tottenham Hotspur

When William Gallas left Chelsea to join Arsenal in 2006, the move caused plenty of controversy, with Chelsea claiming that the Frenchman threatened to score own goals if he was denied a transfer.

Four years later, in 2010, Gallas proved once again that he wasn't afraid to cause a bit of friction between London's top clubs with a surprise move to Arsenal's fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Gallas's time at the Gunners was a rocky one having been instantly handed the number 10 shirt, which had been previously worn by Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp.

But Gallas recovered to enjoy a distinguished time with the Gunners, becoming a mainstay of their defence over his four-year stay at the club, going on to make 140 appearances for Wenger's outfit.

However, despite Arsenal's willingness to offer the versatile defender another deal, his contract demands were described as "unreasonable" by then-chairman Peter Hill-Wood and the former Marseille man left the club.

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With Gallas attracting interest from several big clubs from around Europe, it was revealed that the Frenchman had agreed to move to White Hart Lane, becoming the first player to play for Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs.

The transfer received a mixed reception from Tottenham's supporters, but Gallas warmed himself to them by insisting that his new club were capable of winning the Premier League title during his first season with the club.

Gallas made his debut against West Bromwich Albion in September, but his stock at the club rose considerably when he captained Spurs to a famous 3-2 victory over his former side at the Emirates Stadium.

Tottenham were also enjoying an outstanding run in the Champions League, and Gallas starred as Spurs defeated AC Milan in the second round, before they lost to Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.

The France international had made a huge impact during his opening season, and he was rewarded with a new two-year deal at the club, which he promptly accepted.

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However, after signing the deal, injuries began to take their toll on the defender, and he was restricted to just 19 appearances during the following season.

That was just half the number that he had played in the previous year, and his role at the club became even less during the 2012-13 season, playing just 17 matches in the Premier League.

Gallas's decreasing activity was enough for manager Andre Villas-Boas to opt against offering his player an extended stay at the club, and he departed having made 72 appearances over three seasons.

Despite the season having gotten underway, the 36-year-old is still a free agent, with his name being linked with a surprise move to Crystal Palace.

But despite entering the final years of his career, and if his fitness issues can be managed, there would be little surprise if the former France international made one final move to a top club somewhere in Europe.