New Gunner could have joined last year

Santi Cazorla reveals Arsenal interest from 2011

By Zain Alvi | 7th August 2012

Santi Cazorla has revealed that Arsenal’s interest in his goes back all the way to last summer, when he made a pricey move from Villarreal to Malaga instead.

Cazorla, 27, has no regrets as he went on to impress consistently throughout Malaga’s successful battle for a fourth place finish in La Liga last season.

However, with the Spanish club’s finances being restructured this summer, he was one of the first to be placed on the market for a price lower than his suggested market value.

The Gunners renewed their interest in recent weeks and finally secured the winger’s services today as he joined their pre-season preparations in Cologne.

Upon moving to Arsenal, Cazorla quickly emphasized his joy at the move but made it clear that he could have become a Gunner as early as last season.

“I am very happy to be here – it is a huge club. It is a great step forward in my career and I hope it will be a very good experience. I hope to win trophies here – that is what I want of course,” Cazorla stated in his first interview with Arsenal Player.

He added: “I remember when I signed for Malaga [in 2011] there was already interest from Arsenal. It was always a club I liked very much.

“Because of circumstances in football, things have not gone the way we wanted in Malaga this year but now I am going to have the opportunity to experience the Premier League and to be at a big club.

“I could not miss this opportunity – I am 27 years old so it was the last train I could catch.”

While Cazorla clearly understands that the only response he could have delivered to Arsenal’s proposed deal this summer was affirmative, he also vowed to make the transaction mutually beneficial by trying to end the club’s seven-year trophy drought next season.