Mikel Arteta speaks out on Santi Cazorla's possible return to Arsenal

Mikel Arteta insists he has not held talks with Santi Cazorla about a coaching role at Arsenal.

Arteta and Cazorla spent five seasons together as teammates at Arsenal and helped the club win two FA Cup trophies during that time.

Cazorla is still playing in Qatar for Al Sadd and has just helped guide the team to their second successive league title.

The Spanish midfielder has been linked with a return to Arsenal once he finishes his playing career, but Arteta is adamant that a position with his backroom staff has not been discussed.

‘I haven’t discussed anything like that with Santi,’ Arteta said on Thursday when asked about the prospect of Cazorla returning to Arsenal.

‘Of course, if you ask anyone in this football club or any supporter about Santi they’ll probably have a smile on their face.

‘I don’t know, he’s still playing, I don’t know what he wants to do but I’m sure it’ll be related to football because I know him well.

‘All I can say is I spoke with him on my birthday [March 26] but we didn’t discuss that at all.’

Speaking last year, Cazorla made it clear that he would be open to the idea of working alongside Arteta at Arsenal.

‘Mikel was very important when I came to Arsenal,’ Cazorla said in an interview with AS.

‘I did not speak the language and he was the only Spanish. He helped me a lot, both he and his family.

‘We were two students of football, we watched games and he already had that coaching gene.

‘It is something that I would value tomorrow, now I am not considering it. If I am given the opportunity and he believes that I can help him, it is something that I would not mind and would leave the door open to enjoy that experience with him.

‘But there is nothing for today, it will be seen.’

For more stories