Mikel Arteta has opened the door for a return to the Emirates for Santi Cazorla.
Cazorla was teammates with Arteta at Arsenal and the pair helped the Gunners to win two FA Cup trophies.
Arteta retired and left Cazorla behind as a player for the Gunners, but the Cazorla’s later years at the Emirates were plagued by injuries.
It was so bad that it appeared that he wouldn’t be able to play football again before he was released by Arsenal and he moved to Villarreal in 2018.
He played two seasons for the Spaniards and he has just left them for a stint in Qatar (Al Sadd Twitter) when some fans thought that he might make a return to the Emirates.
After the news of Cazorla’s latest career move became public notice, Arteta was asked about his former teammate coming back to the Emirates and he said:
‘My opinion of Santi cannot be any higher,’ said Arteta via Metro Sports.
‘Personally, first, with the type of person he is and what he brings to that dressing room, but then also as a player for what he did throughout his career.
‘About the coaching role and the future, we will see what happens.
‘Right now, he’s just finished [with Villarreal] so let him enjoy that moment and we’ll see what happens in the future.’
Cazorla would probably spend no more than two seasons with his new team as he is already 35 and maybe he could join Arteta’s backroom staff after then.
We should have offered him a player/coach job ,well managed he could still have done a job on the pitch for us what a shame really!
The only mistake Cazorla ever made was not costing £42M! Even though he was displaced to shoehorn the german imposter into the team, he was not fazed and continued producing the goods from deeper in midfield. Santi Cazorla for me is the BEST CAM I have ever seen at Arsenal after Cesc Fabregas! I wish he never left but I understand his decision after the club botched his surgery and he nearly lost his foot.
I thought it was surgeons that operated on his leg,not the club !! How can you possibly blame the club ?
Just another example of the “Blame the Club Culture” that unfortunately exists!
Sadly, he’s not coming to Arsenal.
He has announced that he will be joining Xavi Hernandez club
Austin, ” not coming” just now does not mean NOT COMING FOR EVER! Just pointing that truth out!