Santi Cazorla has hinted that he would love to return to Arsenal in the future, having previously spent six years in north London.
The Spanish playmaker was a popular figure during his time in London, scoring 29 goals in 180 appearances for the Gunners before leaving in 2018 after a couple of seasons of injury hell.
He has since enjoyed a renaissance back in Spain with Villareal, with the 34-year-old earning a recall to the Spanish national side for the first time in four years.
But Cazorla has not ruled out the possibility of returning to England, adding that he misses "everything about Arsenal."
“When you are at a big club like Arsenal, sometimes you don’t realise what it means to be there until you are gone,” he said in an interview with the Independent.
“I never got to say a proper goodbye. It was the biggest team I played for in my career and I miss everything about Arsenal. I don’t know what my legacy is there, you would have to ask the fans, but I want to say thank you to them all. I would like to play at the Emirates one last time before I retire.
“I don’t know what I will do afterwards - maybe a coach, maybe a sporting director - but I would love to go back to Arsenal. I lived in London for six years. My son loved it there. In the future, we will see if I have the possibility.”
But for now, he is enjoying his role as an elder statesman in the Villareal side and in the Spanish national team, with Cazorla contributing nine goals in 13 matches so far this season.
“I’m an old man in football,” he said.
“The players are 19 and 20. I’m 34! I have so many more years, but I’m comfortable. I’ve had to become a different player [since the injury], the football feels a lot more physical now. I think even now I’m still having to learn every game.”
“I feel the responsibility more, especially with the younger players. But the injury does help me keep going through difficult times.”
