Santi Cazorla: 'I want as many trophies as possible at Arsenal'

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  • In total control: Santi Cazorla says he has no plans to leave Arsenal.

    Modern footballers are often derided for their sterile personalities, rendered bland by the ceaseless demands of top-level competition.

    Amid the increasing disconnect between themselves and their supporters, thankfully, exceptions to the norm exist. No such accusations could be cast towards the gregarious Santi Cazorla.

    The minuscule midfielder possesses a warmth not shared, in public at least, by many of his colleagues.

    Cazorla has been a joy to behold during his three-year tenure at Arsenal, his virtuoso display in a 2-0 dismantling of Liverpool during the opening weeks of his time there a mark of what was to come.

    The 29-year-old plays with a smile on his face, with the effortless technique befitting an experienced Spain international wowing the Gunners support.

    Cazorla was the star turn at the recent glitzy ceremony announcing the club’s new kit deal with PUMA. The glowing tan gained while convalescing in his homeland following his nation’s disastrous World Cup 2014 campaign wasn’t the only thing lighting up the room.

    There was certainly no ego on show as the plump-cheeked playmaker endured a playful ribbing from countryman Mikel Arteta about the tightly-fitted shirts the players will squeeze into next term.

    Despite his all-too apparent contentment, rumours bubble to the surface every few months about a potential move back to La Liga with champions Atletico Madrid.

    But asked to reflect on his spell with Arsenal by Sport360°, it seems unlikely Cazorla will be on the move any time soon.

    “My objective was always Arsenal,” he said. “I have played for Arsenal for three years now, and I continue to play for Arsenal.

    “This is the only club I think about. I want to lift as many trophies as possible with Arsenal, and help them as much as I can.”

    Cazorla certainly played his part in ending the interminable nine-year wait for silverware last season, striking a breathtaking free-kick to begin Arsenal’s successful comeback from two-goals down in the FA Cup final against Hull City.

    The Spaniard believed the only way is up now for manager Arsene Wenger’s men.

    He added: “Winning the FA Cup took a lot of pressure from us. Winning a trophy after nine years relieves you, and leaves you to play with a bit more freedom.

    “It is easier then to play even better than the year before. We would like to win trophies this year again.”

    This conviction has been imbued by the eye-catching £35 million (Dh218.3m) arrival of forward Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona.

    The Chile international – who was one of the better players during this summer’s World Cup – continues an upwards trend, with the Gunners now attracting star names rather than losing them to league rivals following the lessening of the draining effects caused by debt accrued building the Emirates Stadium.

    A club-record £42m (Dh262m) fee was lavished last year to bring in German attacking midfielder Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid.

    And rather than be intimidated by such competition, Cazorla enthused about the increased quality within the squad.

    “Those players always raise the expectations,” the former Villarreal man said. “World-class players come with a lot of expectations and raise the level of the team.

    “We expect a lot from them. But on the other hand, they also help us to perform better. It is very important, he [Sanchez] is a first-class player. It is very good to have him at Arsenal.”

    The topic of Arsenal’s pot-less run had dominated the discourse about the team since their penalty-kicks victory against Manchester United in the 2005 FA Cup final.

    With that sorry run ended at club level, Cazorla is now an observer as the postmortem continues into Spain’s wretched World Cup run.

    Previously all-conquering La Roja’s hold on the trophy was taken from them in stupefying circumstances, being mauled by the Netherlands and outplayed by Chile on their way to a painful group-stage exit.

    When asked whether his hurt from the tournament – in which Cazorla made two appearances – could be used as inspiration at club level for the season ahead, the 66-times capped international replied: “Yes, of course. But the expectation levels are always high at Arsenal.”

    He added: “We are a very good team and always want to play against the best teams in the world. This is the challenge that we are facing this year again – to be as good as we can and win as many trophies as we can at a domestic and international level.”

    Cazorla’s incisive eye for throughballs, played with ease off either foot, means the Arsenal forward line should continue to receive excellent service.

    Their attack should be even more lethal next term, with turbo-charged Chilean Sanchez complimenting resident speedster Theo Walcott once he returns from a serious anterior cruciate ligament tear in the autumn.

    Cazorla, who claimed eight Premier League assists last term, was excited about providing the ammunition for the quick-heeled pair. He said: “Speed is very critical in in our game. Both are very fast players.

    “Walcott’s injury last year was pretty hard to take. Now, with both on board, I hope we can make use of both of them.”

    Wenger has spent freely, and shown ambition, during the current window. France right-back Mathieu Debuchy has come in for the man he kept on the Les Bleus bench, Bacary Sagna, with the promising Callum Chambers an excellent deputy following his newly-inked £16m (Dh99.3m) deal from Southampton.

    Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina will provide much-needed competition for Wojciech Szczesny, while Germany’s World Cup-winning defensive midfielder Sami Khedira and Lars Bender of Bayer Leverkusen continue to be linked with a switch to north London from Real Madrid.

    All these signs point to a sustained bid to improve on last season’s fourth-placed finish, with Cazorla making clear the league crown is the trophy he covets the most.

    The closest the Spaniard has come to winning a league title was finishing second with Villarreal in 2007-08.

    “Winning the Premier League title means you have won the biggest trophy of the year,” he said. “That is what we are working for throughout the whole season. We are going for the title. If we have a chance to win it, that will be the biggest thing for us.”

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