Arsenal signing: Spaniards exemplary in PL

Santi Cazorla hails Silva, Reina, Mata, and Torres

By Zain Alvi | 7th August 2012

Santi Cazorla admits that signing for Arsenal puts a significant amount of pressure on him to live up to the standards set by many of his compatriots in the Premier League.

Cazorla, a member of Spain’s history-making Euro 2012 squad, is fully aware that the likes of Juan Mata and Fernando Torres at Chelsea, David Silva at Manchester City, and Pepe Reina at Liverpool have already excelled in the English top flight.

Following his £15 million move from Malaga, the 27-year old winger is now seeking to make the same level of impact, which he has described as exemplary.

“It is clear that there are players like Silva, Mata, Torres and Reina who have been here a long time, so I also talked to them. They have told me that it is great to play in the Premier League, they told me how the games are in England,” Cazorla was quoted at Arsenal’s official website.

He continued: “They say it is different to Spain and that is true. You see Spanish players doing well here and that inspires you to come over as well. They have set an example and I hope I will adapt to the league as well as they have.”

While Arsenal’s list of summer signings now boasts of three impressive names such as Cazorla, Lukas Podolski, and Olivier Giroud, neither has any experience playing in the Barclays Premier League before.

Sunday’s friendly against Podolski’s former club FC Cologne will provide a good opportunity for the new-look squad to prepare ahead of their Barclays Premier League season opener on August 18.