Former Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla has returned to Villarreal for pre-season training in a bid to prove his fitness.
As Standard Sport first revealed last month, the La Liga side were keen to give Cazorla a place to rehabilitate before the season began after Arsenal opted not to extend his contract.
Cazorla had been training with the Alaves youth team and had spent the final month of the season working with his Arsenal team-mates, though the Gunners hierarchy deemed offering him an extension to be too much of a risk.
The 33-year-old has not played since October 2016 due to a chronic Achilles injury that has required 11 separate operations, including a graft that saw doctors take the skin from his arm to cover the eight centimetres of tendon he lost in his right ankle.
A statement from the Spanish club said: “Santi Cazorla returns home. The Asturian footballer will spend the pre-season with the first team of Villarreal with the aim of recovering from an operation in the Achilles tendon of the right leg, which was held on November 28 by Doctor Mikel Sanchez.”
Cazorla made 241 appearances for El Submarino Amarillo in two separate spells between 2003 and 2011.
He said: “I am returning to a club where I have always felt very wanted, thank you very much for the love.”
