Santi Cazorla ‘coming back to Arsenal’ as fans convinced club hero will return

Arsenal fans are convinced that Santi Cazorla is coming back to north London as part of Mikel Arteta ‘s backroom team after Gunners assistant coach Steve Round left the club earlier this week. Cazorla spent six years at the Emirates Stadium as a player after joining the club from Malaga in 2012. Arsenal confirmed on Thursday that Round had departed the club courtesy of a statement to staff from sporting director Edu. ‘As preparations for the new men’s season get underway we can confirm Steve Round has left the club by mutual agreement,’ Edu said. ‘Steve joined the club as part of our new coaching staff in December 2019 when Mikel started his role as head coach. During his time with us, Steve played an integral role working with our men’s first-team players and helping the significant progress which we have made in recent seasons. We thank Steve for his contribution to Arsenal Football Club and wish him and his family all the best of health and happiness.’ Round’s departure had Arsenal fans talking about his replacement – and plenty of them admitted they wanted to see Cazorla being handed the role. Arsenal hero Santi Cazorla spent six years at the Emirates Stadium between 2012 and 2018 (Image: GETTY) ‘Only means 1 person coming in then,’ wrote Connor Moore on Twitter as he complimented his text with a GIF of Cazorla. And @Piquelme21 wrote: ‘Santi time!’ Elsewhere, @iam_papa_d penned: ‘Cazorla is coming back home, the little wizard.’ And @philip_isme added: ‘Santi Cazorla is coming home.’ Meanwhile, one Gunners fan even teased a playing return for Cazorla, even though the ex-midfielder is 38 years old and hasn’t played in Europe for three years. ‘If Santi Cazorla joins the club’s coaching staff, I would love him to be given a 6-month player coach role first and afterwards integrated into the coaching staff,’ wrote @AFCabuu. Arsenal assistant coach Steve Round left the club on Thursday (Image: GETTY) Cazorla bagged 29 goals and 45 assists in 180 appearances for Arsenal and helped the Gunners win two FA Cups. But he wasn’t able to appear for the team during his last 20 months as an Arsenal player after sustaining a serious Achilles injury in October 2016. Cazorla left his previous club Al-Sadd SC, where he was a player, at the start of July. And the Gunners hero could well be open to a non-paying return to Arsenal after explaining in 2021: ‘It is something that I would value tomorrow, now I am not considering it. If I am given the opportunity, and he (Arteta) believes that I can help him, it is something that I would not mind – and I would leave the door open to enjoy that experience with him. But there is nothing for today, it will be seen.’