Santi Cazorla 'convinced' he can get back to his best at Arsenal despite years of injury woes

Arsenal playmaker Santi Cazorla insists that his latest injury struggles will not force him into an early retirement.

Indeed the Spanish midfielder believes he can still return to his peak even after nearly a year on the sidelines.

Cazorla has not featured for Arsenal since suffering a recurrence of his ongoing Achilles problems during a 6-0 Champions League win over Ludogorets in October.

Since then he has required eight separate operations, in part due to a bacterial infection that affected his bone. His struggles prompted speculation that he may not play again for Arsenal, where his contract expires at the end of the coming season, or may even be forced to retire.

​Cazorla, however, insisted that he could still recover his fitness. “Those who want to retire me will get to see me [play] again,” he told Spanish radio station Onda Cero. “I will return.

“I do not know how far I am [from returning] but I am convinced that I am going to play football again and at my best level. I am working on it and hopefully, it can be as soon as possible.

“I am convinced that I will come back.”

Cazorla, who also missed most of the 2015-16 season with Achilles problems, admitted in May that he had considered “throwing in the towel” after undergoing a string of operations for an injury that Arsenal had initially hope would sideline him for weeks at most.

However the 32-year-old is now on the road to recovery, though both Cazorla and Arsenal are currently reluctant to put a formal timescale on the midfielder’s return.

“The problem is that [doctors] did not know what’s going on. The worst thing is in the head [staying mentally strong]. But I went to Spain, they found a bacteria [an infection], and now it seems that problem is already solved.

“It looks like the operations are over. Now I’m very happy, starting the recovery that is was what I wanted.

“I started the recovery two weeks ago. I’m still far [from playing again]. I do not have strength in my tendon or muscle mass. I need time [to regain it] but I am very happy my recovery in this 15 days.”

Though Arsenal did not formally announce the extension the club activated an option in Cazorla’s contract handing him an additional year at the club midway through the season.

​Arsene Wenger has labelled Cazorla the “star of the team” and the diminutive deep-lying maestro revealed that the Arsenal manager still has plans for him next season.

“Three days before the first operation [in December], the manager called me to his office to give me a new deal. He told me that Arsenal counted on me ahead of next season.”

“It was a relief. Having another year of contract at Arsenal has helped me face [the recovery] in a better way.”