Distraught Cazorla delivers depressing update on fitness

Santi Cazorla has described the 2016/17 season as “the worst” of his career – and admits it could be another five months before he is back in action for Arsenal.

The Spaniard has not played for the Gunners since picking up an ankle injury in the Champions League group stage against Ludogorets on October 19.

He was initially expected to return to action in November, but having just undergone his EIGHTH operation on the injury, the midfielder is now not due back in action until at least October.

The midfielder admits he’s been really low as a result of the injury and admits he can’t even put a concrete date on when he will return to action.

“You feel like throwing in the towel but my desire to play football is above everything,” he told Cadena Ser. “I haven’t been given a timeframe [to return to action]. It’s very difficult to put a date, but I don’t think it will be before five months.

Santi Cazorla: Picked up knee injury at Norwich

“It’s been since October that I last played. I’ve undergone eight surgeries, the last one yesterday [Monday]. I hope that things go better.

“I’ve had complications since November. I got a bacterial infection in surgery, my bone got infected, the wound would not close and I had a graft done.

“I remember I had a bad spell with a back problem [while with Villarreal in 2010] but this is worse because it [healing] doesn’t depend on me. Right now I can’t think about the future, I just want to return to play.”