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Arsenal legend Santi Cazorla dreams of returning to the Emirates and says the club have ‘left the door open’ for his move.
The Spanish midfielder first arrived in the Premier League in 2018, playing 180 games over six seasons for the Gunners. He quickly became a much-loved member of the squad but was forced to depart after enduring regular injuries.
Cazorla has refused to close his Arsenal chapter completely, and has now admitted that he seeks a return to north London in a role off the pitch.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Cazorla revealed his conversations with Gunners boss Mikel Arteta around a potential move back to the club after his retirement.
He said: “I have a very special affection for Arsenal. I spent six wonderful years there and I know how much all the people love me there.
“Of course, I was fortunate to share a dressing room with Mikel Arteta and now he is the manager. We had conversations about that but right now I am not focused on anything other than contributing to this club, [Real] Oviedo, and continuing to enjoy football as a player.
“After that, we will see what the future holds for me. It is clear that Arsenal is a club that has always left the door open to me to return. But right now, I have enough on my mind with the play-offs and trying to enjoy the last days of my playing career.”
Cazorla made a huge return to his boyhood club Real Oviedo in the summer of 2023, making his highly-anticipated debut against Real Valladolid in September. His homecoming was a big hit with fans, who hadn’t seen him sport an Oviedo shirt for 20 years.
The club hope to return to the Spanish top-flight for the first time in 23 years as they battle through the play-offs. Their first leg fixture against Eibar on Saturday culminated in a 0-0 draw, meaning everything is to play for when they travel to the Ipurua Municipal Stadium on Wednesday.