Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has revealed that fan favourite Santi Cazorla has suffered yet another injury setback, as the Spaniard was forced to undergo surgery for the ninth time since his injury last Autumn. With the former Villarreal midfielder's contract set to expire in the summer, the latest setback has worried Wenger that the Gunners fans may well not see Cazorla gracing the red jersey of Arsenal again.
Cazorla was originally expected to return to training in January after being given the all clear from what turned out to be a career-threatening injury but is set for another stint on the sidelines following problems which has seen him in need of another operation.
He last featured for the Gunners in October 2016 in their 6-0 win over Ludogrets before suffering a series of issues with his Achilles, at one point the injury led to Cazorla suffering from a bacterial infection that could have seen the influential midfielder lose his leg.
Wenger 'Upset' with the latest setback
Earlier on in the season, Wenger said that he was hoping to see the Spaniard return by the New Year after showing improvements in fitness, but those plans have been dashed after the terrible news that Arsenal received indicating that Cazorla was to undergo surgery again on Monday.
After the latest setback the 68-year-old has revealed that he now has no idea when to expect the return of the midfielder, admitting to sending him a text message once hearing of the latest issue, admitting that Cazorla is said to be severely disheartened by the latest issue and responded to his manager saying that he is frustrated because he has to 'start again from zero'.
When asked about a potential return following the Spaniard's latest operation Wenger claimed it would not be before February and it would take six weeks for him to return to training once he is able to run again.
The 32-year-old who has featured for his country 77 times, joined the Gunners from Malaga in the summer of 2012 for a fee of £10million and was a mainstay in the Arsenal side since his arrival.
He has made 180 appearances in all competitions for the London based club scoring 29 goals and becoming a fan favourite in the process, during to his ability on the ball and being one of the few players in the world with the ability to take set pieces with both feet. However, with his latest setback and the expiry of his contract in the summer, it is looking increasingly likely that the 'little magician' will not add to his tally of Gunners appearances.
