Santi Cazorla admits he will be eternally grateful to Arsene Wenger after a phone call from him during his time at Arsenal whilst recovering from a nightmare injury.
The Spaniard suffered a devastating right Achilles tendon injury during a Champions League clash vs Ludogorets in October 2016.
After numerous setbacks, the decision to operate was taken, but with his Gunners contract winding down, Wenger stepped in to ensure his player was not fearful about it expiring whilst he was stuck on the sidelines.
"Arsène always supported me," Cazorla told the Guardian . "He renewed my contract before the first operation, which was an incredible gesture.
"He called me in: ‘Santi, I’m going to give you the optional year. It’s here, sign it, have your operation with peace of mind.’
"That helped me focus on my rehabilitation without fear. I’m eternally grateful for that.”
Now back in Spain, Cazorla has played three successive La Liga games, but the inability to say goodbye properly to the Arsenal fans at the Emirates still grinds at him.
“The people love me there and I’ll always have a connection with Arsenal, so much affection," he adds. "Not being able to say goodbye playing at the Emirates is like a thorn in my side. If I had to leave, I wanted it to be in front of the fans.”
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