It’s currently a big waiting game for Arsenal fans as Arsene Wenger gives no clues away regarding the transfer of Malaga winger Santi Cazorla.
The Guardian have reported that the 27 year old has struck a deal with his La Liga club to make a move, and the Arsenal boss will have to pay €20 million to secure the players services.
However, Wenger is letting no news slip. He denied he was close to signing Cazorla as his side kicked off their tour of Asia with a narrow 2-1 victory over hosts Malaysia.
He publicly dismissed speculation that the club had agreed terms with Malaga for the Spanish winger. Instead he joked that his eyes were now on the Malaysian team following their strong performance against his side.
“We are not close to signing Cazorla. We are still working that out,” Wenger told reporters immediately after the match in the capital Kuala Lumpur.
Clearly Arsenal are interested in the player, but It seems too early for a concrete deal to have been made.
What would he bring to Arsenal?
Cazorla is a pure winger who loves to hug the touchline. He is the complete player; comfortable on either side of the pitch and equally as dangerous when crossing or cutting inside.
His statistics over the past two seasons show that he can take on a role as a scorer or a distributor. In his only year with Malaga, he recorded nine goals and five assists. While playing for Villarreal in 2010-11, he scored just five goals but created 10.
Cazorla’s production and versatility led to him being honoured with a spot on Spain’s victorious Euro 2012 squad. However, he was buried under the enormous amount of talent in the national squad, making just two appearances as a substitute.
Still, his production for his clubs and inclusion on the Spanish national team prove his worth and show that he is a fantastic player.
He would fit perfectly into the Gunners side, causing opposing defences problems with piercing runs up the wings. Both club and player would benefit greatly from this move.
Financially a move is viable and Arsenal would provide Cazorla with the perfect footballing environment. Now it’s just a case of waiting to see if Wenger can take this deal to the next level. I’m sure many Arsenal fans would love to see the Spaniard at the club.
Please feel free to comment with your thoughts and opinions. Any feedback is much appreciated.